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DEMOGRAPHY OF THE SES LEADERSHIP GROUP

The SES constitutes the senior management and leadership group of the APS, comprising 1.5% of total ongoing APS employment at June 2004.⁸ This was a slight decrease from 1.6% the previous year. The size of the SES has fluctuated slightly over the past decade, decreasing from 1749 in 1995 to a low of 1546 in 1998, before peaking at 1891 in 2003. At June 2004 there were 1887 ongoing SES employees. Band 1 SES make up the largest proportion at 74.4% of all SES employees. Band 2 comprise 20.5% and Band 3 comprise 5.1%.

The proportion of women in the SES has increased steadily over the last decade, from 18.4% in 1995 to 31.6% in 2004. As is the case for the total APS, women are concentrated at lower levels with women comprising 34.2% of Band 1, 25.3% of Band 2 and 19.8% of Band 3. Put another way, 80.4% of SES women are at Band 1 compared with 71.6% of men; 16.4% at Band 2 compared with 22.4% of men; and 3.2% at Band 3 compared with 6.0% of men.

Figure 2.23 shows the changing age profile for the SES. The shift of the age profile between 1995 and 2004 indicates an ageing of the SES, consistent with the trend for the APS overall. Since 1995, the proportion of ongoing SES employees aged less than 45 years has fallen from 35.6% to 29.1%, while the proportion over 50 years has increased from 32.7% to 43.7%.

Figure 2.23: Age profile for SES, 1995 and 2004

Source: APSED

The age profile for female SES is younger than for males: 36.2% of female SES are aged less than 45 years compared with 25.8% of male SES.

Table 2.3 indicates that over one third of SES Band 1s are aged 50 years and over (38.2%). For Band 2s over half are in that age group (55.3%). SES Band 3s have an even older age profile, with over three quarters aged 50 and over (76.0%).

Currently 62 SES employees (3.3% of the SES) are aged 60 years and over, and 1.9% are aged less than 35 years. The youngest SES Band 3s are in the 40—44 age group, with 8.3% of total Band 3s in this age group.

Women comprise a substantially lower proportion of the SES in the older age groups (for example 26.9% of 50—54 year olds, 21.9% of 55—59 year olds and 9.7% of the 60 years and over age group).

Table 2.3: Ongoing SES employees by age group, sex and classification, June 2004

8 Data for the SES includes employees grouped with the equivalent SES bands under the Public Service Classification Rules 2000. Data also includes inoperative SES.