Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages teach classes in English to students whose first language is a language other than English.
Also known as: English as a Second Language Teacher.
A bachelor or postgraduate degree in education majoring in English as a second language is needed to work as a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Tasks
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assessing the extent of language difficulties in students for whom English is a second language
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teaching students individually and in small groups out of the regular classroom, and assisting students within normal classroom settings
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teaching students English language skills using a variety of methods including lecture and visual demonstration
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providing assistance to other classroom teachers by designing special teaching programs for students with English language difficulties
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designing and producing teaching materials and adapting existing materials
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preparing course outlines and goals
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assigning lessons, correcting homework, and preparing and grading exams
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analysing, recording and reporting progress to regular classroom teachers, parents and students
Characteristics
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University
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Creative
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Enterprising
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Helping
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Sedentary
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 in this occupation is likely to remain stable.
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 | 6,000 |
2012 | 7,300 |
2013 | 4,800 |
2014 | 3,600 |
2015 | 5,100 |
2016 | 4,000 |
2017 | 5,700 |
2018 | 4,900 |
2019 | 7,300 |
2020 | 2,800 |
2021 | 2,100 |
2026 | 2,100 |
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 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages 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 41 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 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages work in the Education and training industry. They are also employed in industries like:
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts and recreation services.
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 | Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 33.3 | 31.6 |
VIC | 28.6 | 25.6 |
QLD | 18.9 | 20.0 |
SA | 7.3 | 7.0 |
WA | 8.2 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.1 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.7 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.9 | 1.9 |
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Around 82% of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages 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 - North Sydney and Hornsby
- Sydney - Inner South West
- Brisbane Inner City.
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 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages is 49 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 76% of the workforce. This is 28 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 | Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.1 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 1.9 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 16.1 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 21.4 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 24.3 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 14.3 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 12.8 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 9.1 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 49 | 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 education majoring in English as a second language is needed to work as a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
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- ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 54.6 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 39.1 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 3.6 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 0.8 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 1.8 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.1 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 0.1 | 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 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages who can communicate clearly with people from diverse backgrounds, are caring and empathetic and can work well in a team.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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55%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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55%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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55%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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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%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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50%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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50%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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50%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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50%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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50%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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48%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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46%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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46%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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45%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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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%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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41%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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39%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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39%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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85%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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82%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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57%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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53%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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52%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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52%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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51%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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49%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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47%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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46%
History and archeologyEvents of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
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40%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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39%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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37%
Foreign languageForeign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
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34%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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31%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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28%
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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27%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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24%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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23%
Fine artsCompose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
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19%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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61%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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61%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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59%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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59%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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57%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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52%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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52%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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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%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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48%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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48%
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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46%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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45%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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43%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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43%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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41%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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41%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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39%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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39%
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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71%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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70%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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69%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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69%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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64%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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61%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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59%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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58%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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57%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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56%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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56%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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54%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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54%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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52%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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51%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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51%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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51%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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48%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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46%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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35%
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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100%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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67%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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57%
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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38%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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33%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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29%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Values
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86%
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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71%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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71%
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%
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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67%
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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52%
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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99%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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92%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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92%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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89%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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88%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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88%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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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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85%
Public speakingTalk to a group of people.
-
82%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
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81%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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81%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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78%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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76%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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72%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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72%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
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72%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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72%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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69%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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63%
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, 25-3011.00 - Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors.
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.