Complementary Health Therapists
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Complementary Health Therapists treat patients with physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs by considering the whole person rather than focusing on specific symptoms and by using various therapies, techniques and practices.
Tasks
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assessing patients to determine the nature of the disorder, illness, problem or need by questioning, examining and observing
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developing and implementing treatment plans using applications such as acupuncture, homoeopathic and herbal medicine, and dance, drama, hypnotic and music therapies
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evaluating and documenting patients' progress through treatment plans
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providing dietary and lifestyle advice and guidelines
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prescribing natural medicines, such as herbal, mineral and animal extracts, to stimulate the body's capacity for self-healing
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Analytical
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Creative
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Helping
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Sedentary
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Light
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:
- is expected to grow very strongly
- is likely to reach 8,000 by 2026.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.
Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 7,600 |
2012 | 7,400 |
2013 | 5,500 |
2014 | 3,900 |
2015 | 11,000 |
2016 | 8,800 |
2017 | 5,200 |
2018 | 9,300 |
2019 | 9,700 |
2020 | 10,100 |
2021 | 6,300 |
2026 | 8,000 |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 37% of people employed as Complementary Health Therapists work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 29 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 43 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 Complementary Health Therapists work in the Health care and social assistance industry.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Complementary Health Therapists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.9 | 31.6 |
VIC | 26.9 | 25.6 |
QLD | 22.0 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.5 | 7.0 |
WA | 8.5 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.4 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.5 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.3 | 1.9 |
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Around 66% of Complementary Health Therapists live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
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 Complementary Health Therapists is 47 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.
Females make up 72% of the workforce. This is 24 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 | Complementary Health Therapists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 1.0 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 14.2 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 27.9 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 26.8 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 11.7 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 10.3 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 8.0 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 47 | 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 formal qualification in a related health therapy discipline is needed to work as a Complementary Health Therapist. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways.
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 Health Industry VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Complementary Health Therapists | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 17.5 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 49.9 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 27.5 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 2.1 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 2.4 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.1 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.6 | 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 Complementary Health Therapists who are caring and empathetic and can work well in a team, with the ability to communicate with a diverse range of people.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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73%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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68%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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64%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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63%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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63%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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61%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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59%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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59%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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59%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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57%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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55%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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54%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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52%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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52%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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50%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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46%
ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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46%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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46%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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43%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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43%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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81%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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80%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
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80%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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71%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
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67%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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67%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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59%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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59%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
56%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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53%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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53%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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52%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
50%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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49%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
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47%
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%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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38%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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37%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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34%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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27%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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75%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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75%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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71%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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71%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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70%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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70%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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59%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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59%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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57%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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57%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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57%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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55%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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55%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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55%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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50%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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45%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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43%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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43%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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43%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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41%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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84%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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81%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
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78%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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76%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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76%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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76%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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67%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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67%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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65%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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65%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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62%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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61%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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61%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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61%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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58%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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57%
Influencing peopleConvincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
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56%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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52%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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52%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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46%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process 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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95%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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90%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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57%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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48%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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24%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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24%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
Values
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90%
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.
-
81%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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81%
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.
-
74%
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%
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.
-
67%
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.
Demands
-
99%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
98%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
98%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
96%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
94%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
94%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
93%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
92%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
90%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
85%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
85%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
84%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
83%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
82%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
82%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
79%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
71%
Wear common protective or safety equipmentWear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
67%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
59%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
59%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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, 29-1199.04 - Naturopathic Physicians.
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.