Conservators

ANZSCO ID 234911

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
460
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
62%
Female Share
67%
Average age
46

Summary

Conservators plan and organise the conservation of materials and objects in libraries, archives, museums, art galleries and other institutions.

Specialisations: Art Conservator.

A bachelor or postgraduate degree in heritage, museums and conservation or cultural materials conservation is usually needed to work as a Conservator.

Tasks

  • Researches history of items.

  • Analyses and test items to determine the material they are made of, their condition, and to confirm their identification and authenticity.

  • Consults with curators, owners or custodians about items.

  • Takes photographs of items before and after treatments.

  • Chooses the best method of treatment and treats items.

  • Keeps records of all decisions and the results of any treatments carried out.

  • Is involved in the disaster recovery of items (treating items that are water damaged).

  • Researches aspects of conservation such as the materials and techniques used to create a group of artefacts.

  • Ensure items going on exhibition are in good condition.

  • Advises staff or collectors on how to best care for artefacts, including how to store, display and transport them.

  • May advise and consult with community groups, over the treatment of cultural artefacts.


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 Natural and Physical Science Professionals, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 62% of people employed as Conservators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 4 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.


Industries

Main industries

1
Arts and Recreation Services
58.2%
2
Information Media and Telecommunications
14.1%
3
Public Administration and Safety
7.9%
4
Other Services
4.0%
5
Other industries
11.2%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

33.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

22.0% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

11.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.4% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

6.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.7% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

14.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Conservators All Jobs Average
NSW 33.8 31.6
VIC 22.0 25.6
QLD 11.2 20.0
SA 8.4 7.0
WA 6.2 10.8
TAS 3.7 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 14.1 1.9


  • Around 81% of Conservators live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    The Australian Capital Territory has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    The region with the largest share of workers is Australian Capital Territory.

    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
46
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
67%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Conservators is 46 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

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

    Females make up 67% of the workforce. This is 19 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)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Conservators All Jobs Average
15-19 0.7 5.0
20-24 2.2 9.3
25-34 14.6 22.9
35-44 29.2 22.0
45-54 24.8 21.6
55-59 11.1 9.0
60-64 8.5 6.0
65 and Over 8.9 4.2
Median Age 46 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 or postgraduate degree in heritage, museums and conservation or cultural materials conservation is usually needed to work as a Conservator.

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 Conservators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 38.9 10.1
Bachelor degree 36.9 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 10.4 11.6
Certificate III/IV 7.7 21.1
Year 12 2.5 18.1
Year 11 0.7 4.8
Year 10 and below 3.0 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 Natural and Physical Science Professionals who can communicate clearly, work well in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 54%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 52%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 50%

    Active listening

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

  • 48%

    Monitoring

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

  • 46%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 46%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 45%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 45%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 43%

    Active learning

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 43%

    Time management

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

  • 41%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 41%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 37%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 37%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 36%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 36%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 36%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 32%

    Operation monitoring

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 70%

    English language

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

  • 65%

    History and archeology

    Events of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.

  • 65%

    Fine arts

    Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • 64%

    Chemistry

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

  • 61%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 59%

    Clerical

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

  • 50%

    Technical design

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

  • 48%

    Administration and management

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

  • 46%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 44%

    Mechanical

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

  • 44%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 42%

    Education and training

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

  • 40%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 40%

    Production and processing

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

  • 39%

    Communications and media

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

  • 35%

    Physics

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

  • 34%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 32%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 31%

    Building and construction

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

  • 31%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 55%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 55%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 54%

    Near vision

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

  • 54%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 50%

    Brainstorming

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

  • 50%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 50%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 48%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 48%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 48%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 48%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 46%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 46%

    Colour discrimination

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

  • 46%

    Visualization

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

  • 45%

    Originality

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

  • 45%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 45%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 43%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Flexibility of closure

    See 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.

  • 78%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 72%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 69%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 66%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 65%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 65%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 63%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 63%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 61%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 61%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 60%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 57%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 57%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 57%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 53%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 53%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 51%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 50%

    Working with computers

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

  • 46%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 41%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.


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.

  • 57%

    Creative

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

  • 52%

    Administrative

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

  • 52%

    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.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 67%

    Achievement

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

  • 67%

    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.

  • 62%

    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.

  • 62%

    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%

    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.

  • 52%

    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:
  • 95%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 93%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 92%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 92%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 89%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 89%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 81%

    Contact with people

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

  • 74%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 73%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 70%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 70%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 68%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 68%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 67%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 66%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 64%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 61%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 60%

    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.

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, 25-4013.00 - Museum Technicians and Conservators.


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