Medical Laboratory Technicians

ANZSCO ID 311213

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
6,200
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
62%
Female Share
74%
Average age
39

Summary

Medical Laboratory Technicians perform routine medical laboratory tests and operate diagnostic laboratory equipment under the supervision of Medical Laboratory Scientists and Pathologists.

Also known as: Medical Laboratory Technical Officer.

A formal qualification in laboratory technology, operations, skills or techniques is usually needed to work as a Medical Laboratory Technician. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways.

Tasks

  • Operates equipment used in diagnosing and monitoring disorders of hearing, the heart, kidneys and nervous system.

  • Undertakes and assists with medical analytical procedures and assists anaesthetists and surgical teams.

  • Records the electrical activity of the heart, from which the heart rate is measured and pattern and rhythm is interpreted.

  • Prepares and stains slides and tissue sections to study the cells of blood for histological examination.

  • Performs diagnostic tests on tissues and fluids and analyses the chemical constituents of blood, urine, faeces and tissues.

  • Tests for diseases by looking for the presence of antibodies and the products of immune response in samples.

  • Sets up, checks and maintains operating theatres, and anaesthetic workstations, life support machines and associated equipment.

  • Refers prescriptions to pharmacists and assists in preparing medications.

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
High skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Administrative
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light

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, Medical Technicians, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 62% of people employed as Medical Laboratory Technicians 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
Health Care and Social Assistance
86.9%
2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
5.0%
3
Education and Training
3.0%
4
Public Administration and Safety
1.7%
5
Other industries
2.7%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

35.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

18.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

18.8% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

10.8% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.6% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.7% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Medical Laboratory Technicians All Jobs Average
NSW 35.5 31.6
VIC 18.2 25.6
QLD 18.8 20.0
SA 10.8 7.0
WA 12.8 10.8
TAS 1.6 2.0
NT 0.7 1.0
ACT 1.7 1.9


  • Around 72% of Medical Laboratory Technicians live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    New South Wales and South Australia 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
39
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
74%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Medical Laboratory Technicians is 39 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 74% of the workforce. This is 26 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 Medical Laboratory Technicians All Jobs Average
15-19 0.9 5.0
20-24 11.0 9.3
25-34 27.9 22.9
35-44 21.7 22.0
45-54 20.1 21.6
55-59 9.9 9.0
60-64 5.8 6.0
65 and Over 2.7 4.2
Median Age 39 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 laboratory technology, operations, skills or techniques is usually needed to work as a Medical Laboratory Technician. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) 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 Health Industry and Laboratory Operations 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 Medical Laboratory Technicians All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 7.7 10.1
Bachelor degree 34.2 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 25.6 11.6
Certificate III/IV 10.0 21.1
Year 12 15.6 18.1
Year 11 2.5 4.8
Year 10 and below 4.4 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 Medical Technicians who have good people skills, a high attention to detail and are accurate.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 48%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 48%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 48%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 45%

    Active listening

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

  • 45%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 45%

    Active learning

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

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 45%

    Monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 43%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 43%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 43%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 43%

    Time management

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

  • 43%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 41%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 39%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 63%

    Chemistry

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

  • 62%

    Biology

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

  • 61%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 59%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 56%

    English language

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

  • 55%

    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.

  • 47%

    Medicine and dentistry

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

  • 46%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 45%

    Production and processing

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

  • 44%

    Education and training

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

  • 36%

    Mechanical

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

  • 33%

    Law and government

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

  • 32%

    Psychology

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

  • 28%

    Administration and management

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

  • 28%

    Physics

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

  • 26%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 19%

    Communications and media

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

  • 18%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 14%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 55%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 54%

    Near vision

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

  • 54%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 52%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 50%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 45%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 45%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 45%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Colour discrimination

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

  • 43%

    Control precision

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

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 43%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 43%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 43%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 43%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 41%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 41%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.


Activities

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

  • 80%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 76%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 76%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 73%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 71%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 69%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 68%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 65%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 65%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 64%

    Working with computers

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

  • 63%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 62%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 62%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 61%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 59%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 58%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 56%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 52%

    Working with electronic equipment

    Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.

  • 49%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 47%

    Leading and encouraging a team

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


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.

  • 81%

    Analytical

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

  • 81%

    Practical

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

  • 62%

    Administrative

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

  • 57%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 24%

    Creative

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

  • 24%

    Enterprising

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


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 76%

    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.

  • 52%

    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%

    Achievement

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

  • 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:
  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 98%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 97%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 95%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 93%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 88%

    Contact with people

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

  • 87%

    Repeating same tasks

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

  • 84%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 83%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 81%

    Disease or infection

    Be exposed to disease or infections.

  • 78%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 78%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 78%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 76%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 75%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 75%

    Dangerous conditions

    Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.

  • 74%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 72%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 72%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 71%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on 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, 29-2012.00 - Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians.


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