Drillers

ANZSCO ID 712211

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
6,900
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
94%
Female Share
1%
Average age
37

Summary

Drillers assemble, position and operate drilling rigs and related equipment, to extract ore, liquids or gases from the earth.

Specialisations: Directional Driller, Exploration Driller, Jumbo Operator, Power Tong Operator, Raise Drill Operator, Rig Manager, Rock Drill Operator, Stope Miner, Tool Pusher.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Driller. Although some workers have a certificate III or IV in drilling oil & gas (on shore) or drilling operations.

Tasks

  • Dismantles moves and reassembles drilling rigs and accessory plant.

  • Takes samples of ore, liquids and gases and packages them.

  • Performs minor maintenance and repairs, and lubricates and cleans plant.

  • Records performance details and information obtained from wells, and keeps logs detailing operations.

Characteristics

Job Type
Machinery Operators And Drivers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Very Heavy

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, Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 94% of people employed as Drillers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 28 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 67 hours per week in their main job. This is 23 hours more 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
Mining
66.5%
2
Construction
22.8%
3
Manufacturing
2.6%
4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
1.1%
5
Other industries
4.2%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

14.9% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

9.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

26.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.5% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

38.7% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.9% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.2% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Drillers All Jobs Average
NSW 14.9 31.6
VIC 9.8 25.6
QLD 26.2 20.0
SA 7.5 7.0
WA 38.7 10.8
TAS 1.9 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 0.2 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
37
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
1%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Drillers is 37 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

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

    Females make up 1% of the workforce. This is 47 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 Drillers All Jobs Average
15-19 0.4 5.0
20-24 4.6 9.3
25-34 36.1 22.9
35-44 30.5 22.0
45-54 19.1 21.6
55-59 5.4 9.0
60-64 2.5 6.0
65 and Over 1.4 4.2
Median Age 37 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

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Driller. Although some workers have a certificate III or IV in drilling oil & gas (on shore) or drilling operations.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Resources and Infrastructure 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 Drillers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.9 10.1
Bachelor degree 3.2 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 6.7 11.6
Certificate III/IV 41.9 21.1
Year 12 17.9 18.1
Year 11 7.9 4.8
Year 10 and below 21.5 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 Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers who are reliable, committed to the job and have a good work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 52%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 50%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 48%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 48%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 46%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 46%

    Monitoring

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

  • 46%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 46%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 46%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 45%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 45%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 43%

    Active learning

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

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 43%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 43%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 43%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 41%

    Active listening

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

  • 41%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 39%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 71%

    Mechanical

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

  • 53%

    Education and training

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

  • 53%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 47%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 46%

    Chemistry

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

  • 41%

    Administration and management

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

  • 38%

    Psychology

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

  • 38%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 37%

    Transportation

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

  • 36%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 36%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 36%

    Production and processing

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

  • 29%

    Physics

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

  • 25%

    Building and construction

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

  • 24%

    English language

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

  • 24%

    Clerical

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

  • 23%

    Medicine and dentistry

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

  • 23%

    Geography

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

  • 21%

    Law and government

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

  • 20%

    Communications and media

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 57%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 54%

    Control precision

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

  • 54%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 54%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 52%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 50%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 50%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 50%

    Auditory attention

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

  • 48%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 48%

    Near vision

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

  • 48%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 46%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 46%

    Rate control

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

  • 45%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 45%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 45%

    Reaction time

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

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 38%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.


Activities

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

  • 86%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 81%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 72%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 71%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 69%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 67%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 65%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 65%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 64%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 64%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 60%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 59%

    Guiding and directing staff

    Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.

  • 59%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 59%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 59%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 59%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 57%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 55%

    Leading and encouraging a team

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

  • 52%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 49%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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


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%

    Enterprising

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

  • 48%

    Administrative

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

  • 29%

    Analytical

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

  • 29%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 14%

    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.
  • 86%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 48%

    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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 38%

    Achievement

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


Demands

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

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 99%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 97%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 97%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 97%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 94%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 93%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 92%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 92%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 91%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 90%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 89%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 89%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 88%

    Repeating same tasks

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

  • 88%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 87%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 87%

    Contact with people

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

  • 87%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 84%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

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, 47-5012.00 - Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.


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