Edinburgh city region's retail workforce
Retailing employs around 240,000 people in Scotland, 56,000 of
them across Edinburgh City Region and more than 27,000 in Edinburgh
itself.
Sales and customer services jobs account for the largest
proportion, 55%, of total retail employment in Scotland. Of these,
17% are qualified to SVQ Level 4 and above, versus 10% for the UK
as a whole.
Managerial and senior positions make up the next largest
occupational group, representing 14% of Scotland's retail
workforce. One third of these staff are qualified to SVQ Level 4
and above, versus one quarter for the UK.
Elementary occupations account for a further 11%.
A slightly higher proportion of workers in Scotland are
part-time (51%) than for the UK (49%), with women representing more
than 60% of the Scottish retail workforce.
Sixteen to 24 year olds account for more than a third of the
retail workforce, higher than the UK average, suggesting the retail
sector provides a key first employment destination for a large
number of young people in Scotland.
However the proportion of older workers is also growing.
Currently one fifth of the Scottish retail workforce is aged over
50.
