Forestry Workers

ANZSCO ID 841311

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,200
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
65%
Female Share
14%
Average age
34

Summary

Forestry Workers assist with cultivating, maintaining and protecting forests.

Specialisations: Fire Lookout, Forestry Tree Pruner, Tree Planter.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Forestry Worker. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in forestry (growing and management), horticulture or another related field.

Tasks

  • Maintains forest roads, buildings, facilities, signs and equipment.

  • Kills weeds, fells and de-barks non-productive trees and thins young plantations.

  • Collect seeds, and cultivates and plants seedlings for reforestation purposes.

  • Applies fertilisers, insecticides and herbicides to individual trees and general forest areas.

  • Maintains look-out for fires in forests.

Characteristics

Job Type
Labourers
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
  • 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. 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, Forestry and Logging Workers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 65% of people employed as Forestry Workers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is similar to the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to 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
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
63.5%
2
Public Administration and Safety
6.1%
3
Construction
4.3%
4
Administrative and Support Services
4.0%
5
Other industries
13.8%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

18.4% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

29.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

15.4% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

11.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.0% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

11.4% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.4% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Forestry Workers All Jobs Average
NSW 18.4 31.6
VIC 29.2 25.6
QLD 15.4 20.0
SA 11.6 7.0
WA 12.0 10.8
TAS 11.4 2.0
NT 1.7 1.0
ACT 0.4 1.9


  • Around 80% of Forestry Workers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria have a large share of employment relative to their 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
34
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
14%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Forestry Workers is 34 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 14% of the workforce. This is 34 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 Forestry Workers All Jobs Average
15-19 9.0 5.0
20-24 19.6 9.3
25-34 21.8 22.9
35-44 16.7 22.0
45-54 16.5 21.6
55-59 7.5 9.0
60-64 5.9 6.0
65 and Over 2.9 4.2
Median Age 34 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 Forestry Worker. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in forestry (growing and management), horticulture or another related field.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Forest and Wood Products 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 Forestry Workers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.4 10.1
Bachelor degree 9.5 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 7.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 23.9 21.1
Year 12 23.2 18.1
Year 11 9.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 26.6 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 Forestry and Logging Workers who are reliable, hardworking and physically fit.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 48%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 45%

    Monitoring

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

  • 45%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 43%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 41%

    Active listening

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

  • 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%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 39%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 37%

    Active learning

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

  • 37%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 37%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 37%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 37%

    Time management

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

  • 36%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 36%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 36%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 34%

    Management of personnel resources

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 72%

    Geography

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

  • 70%

    Education and training

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

  • 63%

    Clerical

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

  • 54%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 54%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 53%

    English language

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

  • 53%

    Law and government

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

  • 53%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 52%

    Biology

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

  • 51%

    Transportation

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

  • 50%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 50%

    Administration and management

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

  • 48%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.

  • 47%

    Mechanical

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

  • 41%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 38%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 32%

    History and archeology

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

  • 30%

    Communications and media

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

  • 30%

    Production and processing

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

  • 28%

    Building and construction

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 54%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 54%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 50%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 48%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 46%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 45%

    Near vision

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

  • 45%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 45%

    Dynamic strength

    Exercise for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • 45%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 45%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 45%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 43%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 43%

    Depth perception

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

  • 43%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 41%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 41%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

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

  • 84%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 79%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 77%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 73%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 71%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 71%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 69%

    Working with the public

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

  • 68%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 67%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 66%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 65%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 64%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 63%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 62%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 61%

    Coming up with systems and processes

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

  • 58%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 57%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 56%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 53%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 42%

    Working with computers

    Using 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.

  • 100%

    Practical

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

  • 67%

    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.

  • 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.
  • 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%

    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.

  • 57%

    Achievement

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

  • 57%

    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.

  • 40%

    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:
  • 95%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 95%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 95%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 94%

    Contact with people

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

  • 90%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 89%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 87%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 85%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 84%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 84%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 83%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 82%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 82%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 82%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 82%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 74%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 74%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 73%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 73%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 70%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

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, 45-4011.00 - Forest and Conservation Workers.


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