Contract Administrators
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Contract Administrators prepare, interpret, maintain, review and negotiate variations to contracts on behalf of organisations.
Also known as: Contract Officer.
A formal qualification in a relevant field (like business and management, building, construction management or law) and relevant industry experience is usually needed to work as a Contract Administrator. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways.
Tasks
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Develops, reviews and negotiates variations to contracts, programs, projects and services.
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Responds to inquiries and resolves problems concerning contracts, programmes, projects, services provided, and persons affected.
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Manages paperwork associated with contracts, programmes, projects and services provided.
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Works with project managers, architects, engineering professionals, owners and others to ensure that goals are met.
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Advises senior management on matters requiring attention and implementing their decisions.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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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, Contract, Program and Project Administrators, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 89% of people employed as Contract Administrators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 23 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 44 hours per week in their main job. This is the same as the all jobs average.
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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Contract Administrators work in industries like:
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 | Contract Administrators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 27.4 | 31.6 |
VIC | 21.1 | 25.6 |
QLD | 21.9 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.5 | 7.0 |
WA | 17.0 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.2 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.7 | 1.0 |
ACT | 4.3 | 1.9 |
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Around 73% of Contract Administrators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.
Western Australia has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Perth - North West
- Australian Capital Territory
- Melbourne - Inner
- Perth - South East
- Perth - South West.
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 Contract Administrators is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 46% of the workforce. This is similar to 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 | Contract Administrators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.3 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 5.0 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 28.3 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 27.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 22.4 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 9.2 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 5.3 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.1 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 40 | 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 relevant field (like business and management, building, construction management or law) and relevant industry experience is usually needed to work as a Contract Administrator. 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 Business Services, Financial Services and Public Sector VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Contract Administrators | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 13.8 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 34.7 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 17.6 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 13.5 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 13.8 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 2.2 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 4.3 | 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 Contract, Program and Project Administrators who can communicate well with a variety of stakeholders and provide good customer service.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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59%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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59%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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59%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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59%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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57%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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57%
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%
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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55%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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55%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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55%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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52%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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48%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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46%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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45%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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45%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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45%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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43%
Management of material resourcesProviding the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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68%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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68%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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63%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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63%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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61%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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60%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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59%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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59%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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56%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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54%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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54%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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50%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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48%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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47%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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45%
MechanicalMachines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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41%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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41%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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37%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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36%
Building and constructionMaterials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
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31%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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61%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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59%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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59%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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59%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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57%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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57%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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54%
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%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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50%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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48%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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48%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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46%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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45%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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43%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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41%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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39%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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36%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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34%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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30%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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78%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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74%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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73%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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73%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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69%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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66%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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65%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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65%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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64%
Managing payments and ordersMonitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
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64%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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62%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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61%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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60%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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59%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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59%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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58%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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57%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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56%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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56%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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55%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually 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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52%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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38%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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29%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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14%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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71%
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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67%
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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67%
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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67%
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.
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57%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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57%
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
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98%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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97%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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93%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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90%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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88%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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87%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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87%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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87%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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86%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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86%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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86%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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85%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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83%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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80%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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74%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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72%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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71%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
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71%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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70%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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63%
Automation of tasksDo tasks that are mostly automated.
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, 13-1023.00 - Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products.
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.