Small Business Employment
In Australia, a small business enterprise is one which is generally defined as having up to 20 employees. Nationally, the small business sector is a major employer, accounting for approximately 38% of the total workforce. 52% of all small businesses are either sole operators or partnerships without employees; while the remaining 48% are employing businesses, with an average size of five (5) people.
The Construction industry, Property and Business Services industry and the Retail trade are typically comprised of very high numbers of small business enterprises.
The Australian Business Register lists over 8,000 registered businesses in Ballarat - comprising of small, medium and large businesses, in addition to businesses registered in Ballarat but operating from a different location. Of the total number of registered businesses, approximately 5,800 are small businesses, which account for approximately 16,800 employees.