Hydrographers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Hydrographers measure, analyse and maintain the flow and quality of water in rivers, lakes, stormwater and sewage, and survey and map oceans, seas and rivers.
Tasks
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Prepares technical documentation and drawings for hydrographic survey solutions.
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Performs routine mathematical calculations and computations of measurements for surveying and charting bodies of water.
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Checks, calibrates and maintains surveying, sonar, navigational and other hydrography equipment.
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Collects surveying data using computer systems, echo sounders, sonar, GPS and other navigation systems.
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Conducts fieldwork by collecting water bed samples and aquatic life for laboratory experiments, tests and analyses.
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Prepares maps, charts, sketches, diagrams and reports on the currents and compositions of water bodies.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Analytical
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Light
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Medium
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, Science Technicians, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 91% of people employed as Hydrographers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 25 percentage points above 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
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Hydrographers work in industries like:
- Electricity, gas, water and waste services
- Public administration and safety
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Construction.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Hydrographers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 28.7 | 31.6 |
VIC | 21.1 | 25.6 |
QLD | 25.6 | 20.0 |
SA | 5.6 | 7.0 |
WA | 9.5 | 10.8 |
TAS | 3.6 | 2.0 |
NT | 2.9 | 1.0 |
ACT | 3.1 | 1.9 |
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Around 58% of Hydrographers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.
Queensland has a large share of employment relative to its population size.
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 Hydrographers is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 16% of the workforce. This is 32 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)
Age Bracket | Hydrographers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 6.1 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 29.0 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 24.7 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 19.7 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 9.5 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 7.6 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.4 | 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 formal qualification in water industry operations, hydrography, geomatics or another related field is usually needed to work as a Hydrographer. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
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 Laboratory Operations, Food Processing and Australian Meat Processing VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Hydrographers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 6.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 33.4 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 23.2 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 20.9 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 12.7 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 0.7 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 2.4 | 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 Science Technicians who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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59%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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59%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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59%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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57%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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57%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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57%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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55%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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55%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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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%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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54%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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54%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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52%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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50%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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50%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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48%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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46%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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45%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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45%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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45%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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82%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
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77%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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72%
Technical designDesign techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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72%
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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68%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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67%
PhysicsThe physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
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66%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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65%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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64%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
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64%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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62%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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58%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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57%
Building and constructionMaterials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
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57%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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55%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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50%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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44%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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43%
MechanicalMachines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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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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40%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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59%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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57%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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57%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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57%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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57%
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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54%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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52%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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52%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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50%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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50%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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50%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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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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48%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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48%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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48%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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48%
Perceptual speedUse your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
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46%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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46%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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83%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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82%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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81%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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79%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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79%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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78%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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76%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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74%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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74%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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73%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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73%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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73%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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72%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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72%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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69%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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69%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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67%
Estimating amounts, costs and resourcesWorking out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
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67%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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64%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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62%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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.
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95%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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62%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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57%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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38%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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29%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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24%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
Values
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86%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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76%
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.
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76%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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71%
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.
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62%
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.
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57%
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
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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96%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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93%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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83%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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83%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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83%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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81%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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80%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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79%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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77%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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77%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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76%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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74%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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74%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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72%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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71%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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69%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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66%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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63%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
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62%
Outdoors, exposed to weatherWork outdoors, exposed to the weather.
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, 11-9121.02 - Water Resource Specialists.
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.