Labour Market

Population levels are critical to the labour market as they affect both the supply of the labour and the demand for local products and services. The estimated population of the Outer Hebrides on Census Day in 2011 was 27,684; comprising approximately 13,668 males and 14,016 females. In the decade between 2001 and 2011 the population increased by 4.5%; this is in comparison to a 5% increase over Scotland as a whole.

Details on the current labour market can be found on the NOMIS (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) website.

Economic / Employment Structure

Results from the 2011 Census show that in the Outer Hebrides a higher percentage of the workforce are self-employed, 10% in comparison to 7% for Scotland. There were also more people employed part time, 15% in comparison to 13% in Scotland. The majority of males are employed in the ‘skilled trades occupations’, while the majority of females are employed in the ‘Caring, leisure and other service occupations’. For more information please go to the Economy pages (Opens in a new window or downloads a file).

Skills and Qualifications

The 2011 Census shows that the percentage of residents in the Outer Hebrides holding higher-level qualifications (HND, degree, professional qualification) remains at 26% as in 2001, the same as in Scotland overall. 30% have no educational qualifications, greater than the 27% across Scotland.