Employment Sectors | Geography for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

Employment in Economic Sectors

Economic sectors are an indicator of a country's economic progress. This can be measured by:

• The contribution of each sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• The percentage of the population they employ

Changes in GDP and employment across economic sectors occur over time in distinct phases:

• In the pre-industrial era, the primary sector is prominent, with gradual increases in the secondary and tertiary sectors.
• As nations progress, there is a significant decline in the primary sector's contribution to GDP and employment.
• The industrial period witnesses a surge in GDP and employment within the secondary sector, which later diminishes. Meanwhile, the primary sector continues its decline, and the tertiary sector expands.
• In the post-industrial phase, the tertiary and quaternary sectors experience growth, while the secondary and primary sectors dwindle.
• The tertiary sector emerges as the primary contributor to employment and GDP.

• As nations progress, the distribution of employment across economic sectors undergoes changes. 

Causes of changes over time

Changes in employment percentages across sectors can be attributed to various factors:

• Advancements in agricultural mechanization have reduced job opportunities in this sector.
• Migration to urban centers in search of employment opportunities in secondary and tertiary sectors has led to a decline in agricultural employment.
• Some countries have experienced a decrease in secondary sector employment due to mechanization and global shifts.
• Technological advancements have driven an increase in tertiary and quaternary sector employment.
• Employment structure is closely tied to development indicators.