Electricity, Gas, Water, Waste Services
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services is a small employing industry. Around 1.2% of workers have their main job in this industry.
This industry includes:
- electricity generation, transmission and distribution
- gas supply through mains systems
- water storage, treatment, supply and drainage
- sewerage and waste collection, treatment and disposal.
Many workers have a VET qualification, although around a third of workers do not have any post-school qualifications.
Most people with their main job in this industry work full-time.
Average earnings are $1,731 per week, higher the all industries average of $1,200.
Employment
Employment in the Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry grew over the 20 years to November 2022.
The number of workers:
- grew by 2,600 (or 1.6%) over the last quarter
- grew by 30,100 (or 22.3%) over the last year.
Quarterly employment update, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2022, seasonally adjusted.
Outlook
Employment in Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services is projected to grow by 2,600 (or 1.9%) over the five years to November 2026.
Employment levels, past and projected, Electricity, Gas, Water, Waste
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2021, seasonally adjusted and Jobs and Skills Australia, 2021 Employment projections for the five years to 2026.
Sectors
Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Services is the largest sector in the Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry, employing 26.2% of workers.
Employment by sector, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Source: ABS, Labour Force Survey, Detailed, November 2022, seasonally adjusted.
Occupations
Largest employing occupations
Truck Drivers is the largest employing occupation in the Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry.
The 10 largest employing occupations are shown below. The table shows:
- the number employed in all industries
- the number employed in this industry
- the proportion employed in this industry.
Some occupations are common across a number of industries.
Largest employing occupations, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry
ANZSCO Code | Occupation title |
Employment |
Employment (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
7331 | Truck Drivers | 170,300 | 10,700 | 6% |
3411 | Electricians | 159,100 | 8,900 | 6% |
2333 | Electrical Engineers | 29,300 | 6,200 | 21% |
3422 | Electrical Distribution Trades Workers | 8,200 | 4,700 | 57% |
5111 | Contract, Program and Project Administrators | 121,500 | 4,000 | 3% |
8399 | Other Factory Process Workers | 15,400 | 3,900 | 25% |
7129 | Other Stationary Plant Operators | 20,100 | 3,800 | 19% |
8211 | Building and Plumbing Labourers | 59,200 | 3,500 | 6% |
3992 | Chemical, Gas, Petroleum & Power Plant Operators | 8,700 | 3,400 | 39% |
1399 | Other Specialist Managers | 60,800 | 3,100 | 5% |
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, four quarter average, 2021.
Related occupations
The Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry employs workers in a range of occupations.
The table below shows related occupations by ANZSCO Skill Level (Skill Level 1 is the highest skill level). This includes occupations that:
- contribute a large share of industry employment (account for at least 3% of industry employment)
- have a large share of workers in this industry (at least 5% of workers in an occupation).
These thresholds were used as a guide only and a number refinements were made to the list of occupations included.
The table shows the total number of people employed in each occupation as well as the number and proportion employed in this industry at the time of the 2016 ABS Census.
- In most cases, 6-digit ANZSCO occupations are shown. This is the most detailed level of ANZSCO.
- 4-digit occupations are shown where the ANZSCO classification system only has one valid 6-digit occupation.
- The 4-digit employment figures will differ from the figures shown in the Largest employment occupations table above because the figures have come from different data sources.
Expand or collapse each Skill Level button to view related occupations.
Occupations related to Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services industry, by skill level
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
2333 | Electrical Engineer | 13,087 | 2,931 | 22% |
139999 | Specialist Managers nec | 25,668 | 2,283 | 9% |
233211 | Civil Engineer | 20,730 | 1,301 | 6% |
1332 | Engineering Manager | 14,407 | 805 | 6% |
251312 | Occupational Health and Safety Adviser | 15,640 | 611 | 4% |
233512 | Mechanical Engineer | 13,143 | 498 | 4% |
233111 | Chemical Engineer | 2,274 | 346 | 15% |
234313 | Environmental Research Scientist | 4,103 | 345 | 8% |
224712 | Organisation and Methods Analyst | 6,889 | 319 | 5% |
233513 | Production or Plant Engineer | 3,077 | 258 | 8% |
232214 | Other Spatial Scientist | 2,764 | 236 | 9% |
234311 | Conservation Officer | 4,103 | 218 | 5% |
233915 | Environmental Engineer | 1,270 | 194 | 15% |
139912 | Environmental Manager | 2,137 | 177 | 8% |
234399 | Environmental Scientists nec | 1,215 | 150 | 12% |
234312 | Environmental Consultant | 3,474 | 148 | 4% |
233612 | Petroleum Engineer | 2,391 | 113 | 5% |
234413 | Hydrogeologist | 538 | 36 | 7% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
511112 | Program or Project Administrator | 85,106 | 2,741 | 3% |
312312 | Electrical Engineering Technician | 5,929 | 1,311 | 22% |
511111 | Contract Administrator | 17,579 | 864 | 5% |
312311 | Electrical Engineering Draftsperson | 1,878 | 549 | 29% |
312911 | Maintenance Planner | 6,191 | 520 | 8% |
311415 | Hydrographer | 570 | 225 | 39% |
311413 | Life Science Technician | 2,300 | 193 | 8% |
222111 | Commodities Trader | 2,105 | 162 | 8% |
312113 | Building Inspector | 5,190 | 150 | 3% |
3126 | Safety Inspector | 3,280 | 131 | 4% |
312116 | Surveying or Spatial Science Technician | 1,172 | 44 | 4% |
312115 | Plumbing Inspector | 327 | 18 | 6% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
341111 | Electrician (General) | 106,814 | 6,585 | 6% |
342211 | Electrical Linesworker | 6,549 | 4,730 | 72% |
399213 | Power Generation Plant Operator | 2,142 | 1,702 | 79% |
334114 | Gasfitter | 6,587 | 477 | 7% |
399999 | Technicians and Trades Workers nec | 3,780 | 433 | 11% |
342212 | Technical Cable Jointer | 567 | 362 | 64% |
323212 | Fitter and Turner | 8,642 | 346 | 4% |
399212 | Gas or Petroleum Operator | 3,850 | 336 | 9% |
323314 | Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer | 1,702 | 143 | 8% |
541111 | Call or Contact Centre Team Leader | 2,228 | 118 | 5% |
342314 | Electronic Instrument Trades Worker (General) | 1,388 | 74 | 5% |
341112 | Electrician (Special Class) | 76 | 10 | 13% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
733111 | Truck Driver (General) | 129,332 | 8,261 | 6% |
712921 | Waste Water or Water Plant Operator | 4,120 | 2,889 | 70% |
5412 | Information Officer | 53,555 | 2,326 | 4% |
541112 | Call or Contact Centre Operator | 28,112 | 1,438 | 5% |
711999 | Machine Operators nec | 3,864 | 799 | 21% |
599599 | Inspectors and Regulatory Officers nec | 10,587 | 450 | 4% |
721214 | Excavator Operator | 9,151 | 283 | 3% |
712922 | Weighbridge Operator | 781 | 251 | 32% |
733114 | Tanker Driver | 2,748 | 241 | 9% |
721216 | Loader Operator | 4,855 | 235 | 5% |
733115 | Tow Truck Driver | 2,171 | 125 | 6% |
599521 | Water Inspector | 175 | 89 | 51% |
721213 | Bulldozer Operator | 1,437 | 51 | 4% |
721212 | Backhoe Operator | 615 | 23 | 4% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
ANZSCO code | Occupation title | Employment (all industries) |
Employed (this industry) |
Proportion employed in this industry |
821112 | Drainage, Sewerage and Stormwater Labourer | 3,160 | 1,733 | 55% |
8996 | Recycling or Rubbish Collector | 2,109 | 1,174 | 56% |
839918 | Recycling Worker | 1,800 | 912 | 51% |
561912 | Meter Reader | 1,860 | 482 | 26% |
621911 | Materials Recycler | 2,157 | 474 | 22% |
811699 | Cleaners nec | 4,672 | 310 | 7% |
899914 | Electrical or Telecommunications Trades Assistant | 2,194 | 233 | 11% |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Data Downloads
Industry profile data
This file contains data for all 19 industries to make comparing industry data easy. Information available includes:
- Industry snapshot data
- Industry employment (20-year time series)
- Industry employment projections
- Industry sector employment
- Top employing occupations by industry
Occupations related to each Industry, by Skill Level
This spreadsheet lists occupations that are related to each industry by ANZSCO Skill Level.
Occupation (ANZSCO) to industry (ANZSIC) correspondence
This file maps occupations to industries using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) and Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
Data are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016 Census.
The purposes of the correspondence are to:
- Identify occupations that contribute a large share of employment to each industry.
- Identify occupations that have a strong association with each industry, even if they do not contribute a large share of employment to the industry.
Useful links
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC)
The ANZSIC provides a basis for the standardised collection, analysis and dissemination of economic data on an industry basis for Australia and New Zealand. The ANZSIC is a hierarchical industry classification with four levels, namely Divisions (the broadest level), Subdivisions, Groups and Classes (the finest level).
There are 19 Division level industries, most industry data on LMI are displayed at this level. Division level industries provide a broad overall picture of the economy and this level is most suitable for the publication of summary tables in official statistics.
The Subdivision, Group and Class levels provide increasingly detailed dissections of these categories for the compilation of more specific and detailed statistics. The sector data on LMI is at the Group level.
For more information on the ANZSIC visit the ABS website.
Industry links
- Accommodation and Food Services
- Administrative and Support Services
- Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
- Arts and Recreation Services
- Construction
- Education and Training
- Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
- Financial and Insurance Services
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Information Media and Telecommunications
- Manufacturing
- Mining
- Other Services
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- Public Administration and Safety
- Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
- Retail Trade
- Transport, Postal and Warehousing
- Wholesale Trade