Arts Administrators and Managers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Arts Administrators or Managers plan, organise, direct, control, coordinate and promote artistic and cultural policies, programs, projects and services.
Specialisations: Art Gallery Director, Community Arts Centre Manager, Cultural Centre Manager.
A bachelor or postgraduate degree in arts is usually needed to work as an Arts Administrator or Manager. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.
Tasks
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Selects items for display/presentation.
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Arranges finance for show/production.
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Selects the director and technical personnel and, in consultation with the director, auditions and selects cast.
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Establishes operating budgets and production schedules.
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Determines treatment and scope of production or display.
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Supervises production and suggests or approves change in script or presentation.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Creative
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Enterprising
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Sedentary
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Other Specialist Managers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 71% of people employed as Arts Administrators and Managers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 45 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Arts Administrators and Managers work in the Public administration and safety industry.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Arts Administrators and Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.8 | 31.6 |
VIC | 29.9 | 25.6 |
QLD | 12.1 | 20.0 |
SA | 6.2 | 7.0 |
WA | 8.7 | 10.8 |
TAS | 3.1 | 2.0 |
NT | 2.5 | 1.0 |
ACT | 3.5 | 1.9 |
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Around 73% of Arts Administrators and Managers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
Victoria has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Melbourne - Inner
- Sydney - City and Inner South
- Sydney - Eastern Suburbs
- Brisbane Inner City
- Australian Capital Territory.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Arts Administrators and Managers is 45 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.
Females make up 71% of the workforce. This is 23 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Arts Administrators and Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.3 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 2.3 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 20.9 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 24.1 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 25.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 8.2 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 8.9 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 45 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
A bachelor or postgraduate degree in arts is usually needed to work as an Arts Administrator or Manager. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.
Visit
- Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Business Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Arts Administrators and Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 31.9 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 39.4 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 10.4 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 4.8 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 9.3 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 1.6 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 2.7 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Other Specialist Managers who have strong leadership skills, the ability to communicate with a wide variety of people and strong interpersonal skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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57%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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57%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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57%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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55%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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55%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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54%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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54%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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54%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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52%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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50%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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50%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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48%
Management of financial resourcesFiguring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.
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46%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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46%
Operations analysisUnderstanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
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46%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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45%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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79%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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74%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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74%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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72%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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72%
Fine artsCompose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
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69%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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64%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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62%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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59%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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57%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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46%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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45%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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45%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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42%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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39%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
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37%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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32%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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31%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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30%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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28%
History and archeologyEvents of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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63%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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59%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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59%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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59%
Colour discriminationNotice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
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57%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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57%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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57%
VisualizationImagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
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55%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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55%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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55%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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54%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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52%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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52%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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52%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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50%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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43%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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41%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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39%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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85%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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82%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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72%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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70%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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70%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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69%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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69%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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68%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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67%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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63%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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62%
Influencing peopleConvincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
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60%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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58%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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58%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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57%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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56%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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55%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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54%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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54%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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48%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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100%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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90%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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43%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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43%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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33%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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19%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
Values
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90%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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86%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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83%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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71%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
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52%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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48%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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99%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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98%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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95%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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95%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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90%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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89%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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89%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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89%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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88%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
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87%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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86%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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86%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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84%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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84%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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82%
Using your hands to handle, control, or feelSpend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
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80%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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79%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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77%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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67%
Angry or unpleasant peopleDeal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 27-1011.00 - Art Directors.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.