Air Transport Professionals

ANZSCO ID 2311

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
10,800
Future Growth
31.4%
Weekly Earnings
$3,360
Full-Time Share
69%
Female Share
9%
Average age
42

Summary

Air Transport Professionals fly and navigate aircraft, control and direct air traffic to ensure the safe and efficient operation of aircraft in flight and on the ground, and instruct students in flying aircraft.

Tasks

  • preparing and submitting flight plans giving consideration to factors such as weather conditions and aircraft performance

  • flying aircraft in accordance with established air traffic control and aircraft operating procedures

  • providing flight information for flight crews and air traffic services staff

  • controlling aircraft movements, and directing aircraft taxiing, take-offs and landings by radio

  • providing pre-flight briefings and aeronautical information services

  • completing cockpit preparations and external inspections to determine that aircraft are acceptable for flight

  • monitoring aircraft performance and reporting on mechanical condition

  • giving in-flight instruction, supervising solo flights, accompanying students on training flights and demonstrating techniques for controlling aircraft

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very Heavy

Outlook

Employment 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 16,500 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.

Projected Change
31.4%
(or 3,900 jobs)
From
12,500
in 2021
To
16,500
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 13,900
2012 13,900
2013 13,700
2014 13,100
2015 13,300
2016 14,900
2017 23,500
2018 14,200
2019 16,100
2020 12,500
2021 12,500
2026 16,500

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

  • Around 78% of people employed as Air Transport Professionals work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 12 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.

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Median full-time earnings are $3,360 per week, this is much higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,789
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $4,314

    Median hourly earnings are $90, this is much more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Air Transport Professionals All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 3,360 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
67.3%
2
Public Administration and Safety
9.1%
3
Health Care and Social Assistance
7.3%
4
Education and Training
5.5%
5
Other industries
10.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

26.1% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

19.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

30.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

5.8% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

11.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

3.9% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

2.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Air Transport Professionals All Jobs Average
NSW 26.1 31.6
VIC 19.1 25.6
QLD 30.2 20.0
SA 5.8 7.0
WA 11.8 10.8
TAS 1.0 2.0
NT 3.9 1.0
ACT 2.1 1.9


  • Around 41% of Air Transport Professionals live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Queensland has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    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
42
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
9%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Air Transport Professionals is 42 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.

    Females make up 9% of the workforce. This is 39 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 Air Transport Professionals All Jobs Average
15-19 0.3 5.0
20-24 6.0 9.3
25-34 26.0 22.9
35-44 26.4 22.0
45-54 24.9 21.6
55-59 8.8 9.0
60-64 4.3 6.0
65 and Over 3.4 4.2
Median Age 42 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

Practical and theoretical training is usually needed to work as an Air Transport Professional. Requirements vary depending on the occupation.

Registration with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority is required.

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 Aviation Industry VET training pathways.

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 Air Transport Professionals All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 7.2 10.1
Bachelor degree 28.8 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 37.2 11.6
Certificate III/IV 11.0 21.1
Year 12 13.4 18.1
Year 11 0.8 4.8
Year 10 and below 1.5 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 Air Transport Professionals who work well in a team, can communicate clearly and are reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 80%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 70%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 61%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 59%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 59%

    Monitoring

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

  • 57%

    Active learning

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

  • 57%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 57%

    Time management

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

  • 55%

    Active listening

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

  • 55%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 55%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 54%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 52%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 48%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 48%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 48%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 46%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 46%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 46%

    Troubleshooting

    Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.

  • 45%

    Quality control analysis

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 89%

    Transportation

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

  • 68%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 64%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 64%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 63%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 58%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 57%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 55%

    Mechanical

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

  • 54%

    Physics

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

  • 53%

    English language

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

  • 47%

    Administration and management

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

  • 45%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 42%

    Law and government

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

  • 41%

    Clerical

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

  • 41%

    Education and training

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

  • 40%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 37%

    Chemistry

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

  • 36%

    Communications and media

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

  • 33%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 28%

    Technical design

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 80%

    Response orientation

    Quickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).

  • 75%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 70%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 70%

    Rate control

    Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • 68%

    Spatial orientation

    Know where things are around you.

  • 66%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 63%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 61%

    Control precision

    Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • 61%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 61%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 61%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 61%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 59%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 59%

    Perceptual speed

    Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 57%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 57%

    Near vision

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

  • 57%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 57%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 57%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 54%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.


Activities

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

  • 95%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 94%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

    Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

  • 85%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 85%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 85%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 78%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 78%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 75%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 74%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 73%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 72%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 67%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 66%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 66%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 60%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 59%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 58%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 58%

    Working with computers

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

  • 57%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 47%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.


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%

    Practical

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

  • 76%

    Administrative

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

  • 62%

    Analytical

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

  • 43%

    Enterprising

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

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 19%

    Creative

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


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 90%

    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.

  • 90%

    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.

  • 83%

    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.

  • 81%

    Achievement

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

  • 81%

    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%

    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%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 99%

    Contact with people

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

  • 99%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 99%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 98%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 98%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 95%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 95%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 93%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 92%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 92%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 92%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 90%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 88%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

    Work in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).

  • 86%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 86%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 85%

    Dangerous equipment

    Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.

  • 85%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 83%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

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, 53-2011.00 - Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers.


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