Aeronautical Engineers

ANZSCO ID 233911

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,200
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
93%
Female Share
8%
Average age
36

Summary

Aeronautical Engineers perform and supervise engineering work concerned with the design, development, manufacture, maintenance and modification of aircraft for flight.

Specialisations: Aeronautical Engineering Officer (Navy), Aerospace Engineer, Aerospace Engineer Officer - Aeronautical (Air Force), Aerospace Engineer Officer - Armament (Air Force), Aerospace Engineer Officer - Electronics (Air Force), Avionics Systems Engineer, Weapons Aeronautical Engineering Officer (Navy).

A bachelor degree in engineering majoring in aeronautical or aerospace engineering is needed to work as an Aeronautical Engineer. Many workers have a postgraduate qualification.

Tasks

  • Designs aircraft, componentry and support equipment.

  • Consults with aero-engine specialists to co-ordinate design of aircraft.

  • Carries out surveys of airframes and equipment and checks for structural faults using laboratory or flight conditions.

  • Ensures that aircraft are capable of meeting operational conditions by examining characteristics and evaluating flight tests.


Outlook

Employment 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 Engineering Professionals, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 93% of people employed as Aeronautical Engineers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 27 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

1
Public Administration and Safety
36.6%
2
Manufacturing
26.2%
3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
17.2%
4
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
15.3%
5
Other industries
2.3%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

26.2% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

32.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

22.6% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.1% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

1.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.0% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

7.5% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Aeronautical Engineers All Jobs Average
NSW 26.2 31.6
VIC 32.8 25.6
QLD 22.6 20.0
SA 8.1 7.0
WA 1.9 10.8
TAS 0.0 2.0
NT 1.0 1.0
ACT 7.5 1.9


  • Around 74% of Aeronautical Engineers live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The regions with the largest share of workers are:

    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

Age In Years
36
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
8%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Aeronautical Engineers is 36 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 8% of the workforce. This is 40 percentage points below 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)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Aeronautical Engineers All Jobs Average
15-19 0.3 5.0
20-24 8.9 9.3
25-34 36.0 22.9
35-44 26.4 22.0
45-54 17.7 21.6
55-59 6.0 9.0
60-64 2.6 6.0
65 and Over 2.1 4.2
Median Age 36 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 degree in engineering majoring in aeronautical or aerospace engineering is needed to work as an Aeronautical Engineer. Many workers have a postgraduate qualification.

Registration may be required in some states and territories. In addition, Engineers Australia has a non-compulsory National Engineering Register.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

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.
Type of Qualification Aeronautical Engineers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 27.6 10.1
Bachelor degree 54.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 7.2 11.6
Certificate III/IV 7.7 21.1
Year 12 3.1 18.1
Year 11 0.0 4.8
Year 10 and below 0.0 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 Engineering Professionals who can communicate clearly, work well in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 73%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 71%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 71%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 68%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 66%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 64%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 61%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 61%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 59%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 57%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 55%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 55%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 55%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 55%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 55%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 54%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 54%

    Technology design

    Designing and improving equipment and technology.

  • 50%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 50%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 45%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 87%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 80%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 77%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 69%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 66%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 64%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 62%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 57%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 45%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 44%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 42%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 40%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 38%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 33%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 32%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 31%

    Building and construction

    Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.

  • 30%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 26%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 25%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 22%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 73%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 70%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 68%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 68%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 68%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 68%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 61%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 59%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 59%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 57%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 57%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 57%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 55%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 54%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 50%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Visualization

    Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • 46%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 45%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 45%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 43%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 91%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 88%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 86%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 83%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 83%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 79%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 76%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 76%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 75%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 73%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 72%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 72%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 72%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 68%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 68%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

    Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

  • 65%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 64%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 60%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 59%

    Communicating with the public

    Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 58%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.


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.

  • 100%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 81%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 52%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 43%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 33%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 19%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 79%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 76%

    Independence

    Work 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.

  • 76%

    Recognition

    Advancement 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.

  • 71%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 71%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 62%

    Relationships

    Serve 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.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 100%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 98%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 96%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 89%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 88%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 87%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 85%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 85%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 81%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 80%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 78%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 71%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 69%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 68%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 67%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 66%

    Responsible for outcomes

    Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.

  • 62%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 60%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 60%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 59%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

Occupational Information Network
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, 17-2011.00 - Aerospace Engineers.


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