Cabinetmakers

ANZSCO ID 3941

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
27,300
Future Growth
4.7%
Weekly Earnings
$1,173
Full-Time Share
86%
Female Share
2%
Average age
36

Summary

Cabinetmakers fabricate and repair wooden furniture, and fit and assemble prepared wooden parts to make furniture.

Specialisations: Antique Furniture Reproducer, Antique Furniture Restorer, Chair and Couch Maker, Coffin Maker.

Extensive experience or a certificate III in cabinet or furniture making is needed to work as a Cabinetmaker. These courses are often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Tasks

  • examining drawings, work orders and sample parts to determine specifications

  • selecting and working with materials such as timber, veneers, particle board and synthetic wood

  • marking out, cutting and shaping wood

  • working from drawings and specifications to make furniture

  • making fittings for boats, caravans and other items where fine detail is required

  • assembling parts to form sections of furniture and completed articles

  • fitting hinges, locks, catches, drawers and shelves

  • making frames for chairs and couches

  • may repair and refurbish furniture and antiques

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • 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 moderately
  • is likely to reach 29,000 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
4.7%
(or 1,300 jobs)
From
27,700
in 2021
To
29,000
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 29,600
2012 26,000
2013 26,700
2014 29,100
2015 26,500
2016 28,500
2017 21,800
2018 32,900
2019 27,000
2020 27,700
2021 27,700
2026 29,000

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 89% of people employed as Cabinetmakers 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.

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

    Median full-time earnings are $1,173 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,066
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,672

    Median hourly earnings are $30, this is lower 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 Cabinetmakers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,173 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
Manufacturing
81.5%
2
Construction
11.3%
3
Other Services
4.0%
4
Retail Trade
2.2%
5
Other industries
1.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

22.3% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

31.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

22.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.9% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.4% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Cabinetmakers All Jobs Average
NSW 22.3 31.6
VIC 31.7 25.6
QLD 22.1 20.0
SA 7.9 7.0
WA 12.8 10.8
TAS 1.0 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 1.4 1.9


  • Around 42% of Cabinetmakers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Victoria has a large share of employment relative to its 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
2%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Cabinetmakers 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 2% of the workforce. This is 46 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 Cabinetmakers All Jobs Average
15-19 8.0 5.0
20-24 14.8 9.3
25-34 24.9 22.9
35-44 21.0 22.0
45-54 17.4 21.6
55-59 7.1 9.0
60-64 4.4 6.0
65 and Over 2.4 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

Extensive experience or a certificate III in cabinet or furniture making is needed to work as a Cabinetmaker. These courses are often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Furnishing 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 Cabinetmakers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 2.3 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 3.0 11.6
Certificate III/IV 67.5 21.1
Year 12 12.9 18.1
Year 11 4.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 9.6 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 Cabinetmakers who are hardworking, reliable and work well in a team.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 48%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 45%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 45%

    Monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 43%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 43%

    Time management

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

  • 41%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 41%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 41%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 41%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 41%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 41%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 39%

    Active learning

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

  • 39%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 37%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 36%

    Active listening

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

  • 36%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 36%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 36%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 34%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 62%

    Building and construction

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

  • 58%

    Technical design

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

  • 57%

    Mechanical

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

  • 56%

    Production and processing

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

  • 53%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 47%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 32%

    English language

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

  • 29%

    Education and training

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

  • 28%

    Administration and management

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

  • 25%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 23%

    Law and government

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

  • 20%

    Chemistry

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

  • 20%

    Transportation

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

  • 16%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 16%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 15%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 15%

    Psychology

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

  • 12%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 11%

    Physics

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

  • 11%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 55%

    Visualization

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

  • 54%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 52%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 52%

    Control precision

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

  • 52%

    Near vision

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

  • 50%

    Reaction time

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

  • 50%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 46%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 46%

    Trunk strength

    Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

  • 46%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 45%

    Auditory attention

    Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.

  • 45%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 45%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 41%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 39%

    Depth perception

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

  • 36%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.


Activities

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

  • 87%

    Handling and moving objects

    Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.

  • 74%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 71%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 62%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 57%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 56%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 55%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 54%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 53%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 53%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 52%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 52%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 50%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 48%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 44%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 42%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 42%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 41%

    Working with mechanical equipment

    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.

  • 39%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 38%

    Working with the public

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


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.

  • 38%

    Administrative

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

  • 29%

    Creative

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

  • 29%

    Enterprising

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

  • 14%

    Analytical

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

  • 14%

    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.
  • 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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 48%

    Achievement

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

  • 48%

    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.

  • 45%

    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.

  • 38%

    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.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 95%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 93%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 88%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

  • 86%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 83%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 82%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 82%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 81%

    Contact with people

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

  • 77%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 76%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 75%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 73%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 72%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 71%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 70%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 69%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 68%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 68%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 68%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

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, 51-7011.00 - Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters.


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