Child Care Centre Managers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Child Care Centre Managers plan, organise, direct, control and coordinate the activities of childcare centres and services including physical and human resources.
Also known as: Child Care Centre Director or Coordinator.
A diploma in early childhood education and care is usually needed to work as a Child Care Centre Manager. Some workers have a university qualification.
Tasks
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developing and implementing programs to enhance the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of young children
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providing care for children in before-school, after-school, day, and vacation care centres
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directing and supervising Child Carers in providing care and supervision for young children
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ensuring the centre is a safe area for children, staff and visitors
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complying with relevant government requirements and standards
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liaising with parents
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maintaining records and accounts for the centre
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recruiting staff and coordinating professional development
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Administrative
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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:
- is expected to grow very strongly
- is likely to reach 18,700 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.
Number of Workers
Year | Employment |
---|---|
2011 | 12,100 |
2012 | 11,600 |
2013 | 15,200 |
2014 | 9,100 |
2015 | 12,800 |
2016 | 15,800 |
2017 | 13,500 |
2018 | 15,400 |
2019 | 21,600 |
2020 | 17,500 |
2021 | 15,300 |
2026 | 18,700 |
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 71% of people employed as Child Care Centre Managers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 42 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
More than half of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).
Median full-time earnings are $1,494 per week, this is lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):
- 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,342
- 1 in 4 earn more than $1,575
Median hourly earnings are $39, this is similar to 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)
Earnings | Child Care Centre Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Full-Time Earnings | 1,494 | 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
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Most Child Care Centre Managers work in the Health care and social assistance industry. They are also employed in industries like:
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 | Child Care Centre Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 32.0 | 31.6 |
VIC | 22.4 | 25.6 |
QLD | 24.5 | 20.0 |
SA | 7.0 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.2 | 10.8 |
TAS | 1.4 | 2.0 |
NT | 1.4 | 1.0 |
ACT | 2.1 | 1.9 |
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Around 61% of Child Care Centre Managers live in capital cities, similar to the all jobs average of 62%.
Queensland 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
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The median age of Child Care Centre Managers is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.
A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.
Females make up 92% of the workforce. This is 44 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 | Child Care Centre Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.4 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 5.3 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 28.7 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 29.7 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 21.8 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 7.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 4.3 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.3 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 40 | 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 diploma in early childhood education and care is usually needed to work as a Child Care Centre Manager. Some workers have a university qualification.
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 Community Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Child Care Centre Managers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 13.4 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 27.1 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 46.7 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 6.3 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 4.6 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.6 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 1.4 | 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 Child Care Managers who have strong interpersonal skills, are organised and reliable.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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57%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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57%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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55%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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55%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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55%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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55%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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55%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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54%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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54%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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54%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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52%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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52%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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50%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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50%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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50%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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48%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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46%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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45%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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43%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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77%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
75%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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66%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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63%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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62%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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56%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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55%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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53%
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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52%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
-
50%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
-
49%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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46%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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42%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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39%
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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37%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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37%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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35%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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30%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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25%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
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12%
Food productionPlanting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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63%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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59%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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59%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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57%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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54%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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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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50%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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48%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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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%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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48%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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45%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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43%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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41%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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39%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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39%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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39%
Speed of recognitionQuickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
37%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
76%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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72%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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71%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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69%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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64%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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60%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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59%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
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58%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
56%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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54%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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53%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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51%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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50%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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50%
Hiring and organising staffRecruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees.
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49%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
48%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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48%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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45%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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43%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
40%
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.
-
86%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
86%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
57%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
38%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
24%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
14%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Values
-
95%
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.
-
81%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
81%
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
43%
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
-
100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
99%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
-
97%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
97%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
96%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
96%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
95%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
95%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
93%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
90%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
87%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
85%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
79%
Conflict situationsDeal with conflict or disagreements.
-
78%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
-
78%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
76%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
73%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
69%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
68%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
67%
Repeating same tasksRepeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
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, 11-9031.00 - Education Administrators, Preschool and Childcare Center/Program.
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.