Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers

ANZSCO ID 8312

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
5,500
Future Growth
17.4%
Weekly Earnings
$1,178
Full-Time Share
79%
Female Share
12%
Average age
34

Summary

Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers trim and cut meat from bones, sides and carcasses, and slaughter livestock in abattoirs.

Tasks

  • operating switching controls to direct and drop carcasses and meat cuts from supply rails to boning tables

  • cutting meat to separate meat, fat and tissue from around bones

  • washing, scraping and trimming foreign material and blood from meat

  • cutting sides and quarters of meat into standard meat cuts, such as rumps, flanks and shoulders, and removing internal fat, blood clots, bruises and other matter to prepare them for packing and marketing

  • operating restrainer and stunning equipment

  • severing jugular veins of stunned animals to drain blood and facilitate dressing

  • trimming and removing head meat and severing animal heads

  • slitting open, eviscerating and trimming animal carcasses

  • may slaughter livestock according to procedures required by religious customs

Characteristics

Job Type
Labourers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • Heavy

Outlook

Employment 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 9,700 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.

Projected Change
17.4%
(or 1,400 jobs)
From
8,300
in 2021
To
9,700
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 9,200
2012 8,700
2013 7,900
2014 12,500
2015 11,800
2016 9,800
2017 8,100
2018 11,900
2019 9,700
2020 9,200
2021 8,300
2026 9,700

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

  • Around 74% of people employed as Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 8 percentage points above 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).

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,178 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,064
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,373

    Median hourly earnings are $30, this is lower than 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)

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.
Earnings Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,178 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

1
Manufacturing
95.7%
2
Retail Trade
2.1%
3
Wholesale Trade
1.1%
4
Administrative and Support Services
1.1%
  • Most Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers work in the Manufacturing industry.

    Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.


Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

23.9% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

20.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

34.6% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

9.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

8.4% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers All Jobs Average
NSW 23.9 31.6
VIC 20.1 25.6
QLD 34.6 20.0
SA 9.7 7.0
WA 8.4 10.8
TAS 2.8 2.0
NT 0.4 1.0
ACT 0.1 1.9


  • Around 82% of Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers 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

Age In Years
34
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
12%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers 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 12% of the workforce. This is 36 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 Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers All Jobs Average
15-19 3.6 5.0
20-24 15.8 9.3
25-34 32.5 22.9
35-44 25.2 22.0
45-54 14.9 21.6
55-59 4.5 9.0
60-64 2.7 6.0
65 and Over 0.9 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 Meat Boner and Slicer, or Slaughterer. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in meat processing.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Australian Meat Processing 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 Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.3 10.1
Bachelor degree 5.0 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 2.9 11.6
Certificate III/IV 24.6 21.1
Year 12 25.7 18.1
Year 11 8.2 4.8
Year 10 and below 33.3 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 Meat Boners and Slicers, and Slaughterers who are reliable, hardworking and can work well in a team.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 37%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 36%

    Monitoring

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

  • 36%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 34%

    Active listening

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

  • 34%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 34%

    Time management

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

  • 32%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 32%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 32%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 30%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 30%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 30%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 29%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 29%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 29%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 29%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 29%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 27%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 27%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 25%

    Active learning

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 61%

    Production and processing

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

  • 51%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 46%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.

  • 40%

    Mechanical

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

  • 34%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 34%

    Education and training

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

  • 33%

    Chemistry

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

  • 32%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 29%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 28%

    Administration and management

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

  • 28%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 28%

    Biology

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

  • 27%

    English language

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

  • 27%

    Building and construction

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

  • 21%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 21%

    Psychology

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

  • 21%

    Law and government

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

  • 19%

    Clerical

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

  • 18%

    Transportation

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

  • 16%

    Public safety and security

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 39%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 39%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 38%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 38%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 38%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 38%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 38%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 36%

    Control precision

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

  • 36%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 36%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 36%

    Near vision

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

  • 36%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 34%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 34%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 34%

    Reaction time

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

  • 34%

    Visualization

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

  • 32%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 29%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 27%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 25%

    Rate control

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


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.

  • 51%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 44%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 44%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 35%

    Coaching and developing others

    Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.

  • 35%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 33%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 31%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 31%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 31%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 30%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 29%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 29%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 28%

    Guiding and directing staff

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

  • 27%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 27%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 26%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 22%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 18%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 15%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.


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.

  • 29%

    Administrative

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

  • 19%

    Analytical

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

  • 19%

    Enterprising

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

  • 14%

    Creative

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

  • 14%

    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%

    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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 31%

    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.

  • 29%

    Achievement

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

  • 29%

    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.

  • 24%

    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:
  • 97%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 89%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 87%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 86%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 79%

    Contact with people

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

  • 76%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 74%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 74%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 73%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 72%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 71%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 71%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 70%

    Pace of work set by equipment

    Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.

  • 69%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 69%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 69%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 67%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 67%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 64%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 63%

    Repeating same tasks

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

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, 51-3022.00 - Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers.


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