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Meter Readers

ANZSCO ID 561912

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Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,900
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
61%
Female Share
11%
Average age
45
About this data

Summary

Meter Readers read electric, gas or water meters, record usage, inspect meters and connections for defects and damage, and report irregularities.

Tasks

  • Loads and unloads mail conveyances and internal mail handling equipment.

  • Checks meter numbers and records any broken seals or other damage.

  • Updates clients details and notes location of meters.

  • Downloads information recorded on hand held computer into a central database.

  • May respond to customer queries or refer them onto the customer service department.

  • May undertake customer surveys.

Characteristics

Job Type
Clerical And Administrative Workers
Skill Level
Entry level
ANZSCO Occupation group
5619 Other Clerical and Office Support Workers
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Administrative
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, Other Clerical and Office Support Workers, under the outlook section.

Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 61% of people employed as Meter Readers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 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
Administrative and Support Services
60.1%
2
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
24.8%
3
Construction
3.2%
4
Public Administration and Safety
2.8%
5
Other industries
4.8%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

30.4% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

22.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

19.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

14.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.9% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.4% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Meter Readers All Jobs Average
NSW 30.4 31.6
VIC 22.7 25.6
QLD 19.0 20.0
SA 8.6 7.0
WA 14.2 10.8
TAS 2.8 2.0
NT 0.9 1.0
ACT 1.4 1.9


  • Around 47% of Meter Readers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Western Australia has a large share of employment relative to its 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
45
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
11%
All Jobs Average is 48%

  • The median age of Meter Readers is 45 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 11% of the workforce. This is 37 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 Meter Readers All Jobs Average
15-19 1.8 5.0
20-24 9.7 9.3
25-34 18.7 22.9
35-44 19.3 22.0
45-54 23.3 21.6
55-59 12.1 9.0
60-64 10.9 6.0
65 and Over 4.3 4.2
Median Age 45 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 usually required to work as a Meter Reader.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Public Sector 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 Meter Readers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 1.6 10.1
Bachelor degree 9.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 8.7 11.6
Certificate III/IV 24.8 21.1
Year 12 29.3 18.1
Year 11 8.5 4.8
Year 10 and below 17.5 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 Clerical and Office Support Workers who have good computer skills, can communicate clearly and can interact with a variety of people.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 43%

    Active listening

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

  • 43%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 41%

    Monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 39%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 39%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 39%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 37%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 37%

    Time management

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

  • 36%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 36%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 34%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 34%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 34%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 30%

    Active learning

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

  • 30%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 30%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 30%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 27%

    Troubleshooting

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

Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 60%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 45%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 44%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 41%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 40%

    English language

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

  • 38%

    Mechanical

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

  • 37%

    Clerical

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

  • 37%

    Administration and management

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

  • 30%

    Building and construction

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

  • 29%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 28%

    Physics

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

  • 27%

    Education and training

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

  • 27%

    Transportation

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

  • 26%

    Chemistry

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

  • 25%

    Law and government

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

  • 25%

    Technical design

    Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • 22%

    Production and processing

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

  • 21%

    Communications and media

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

  • 20%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 19%

    Telecommunications

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

Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 46%

    Near vision

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

  • 46%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 43%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 43%

    Extent flexibility

    Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • 43%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 43%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 43%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Control precision

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

  • 41%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 41%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 41%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 41%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 39%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 39%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 39%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 36%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 36%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 36%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 34%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

Activities

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

  • 62%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 60%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 57%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 56%

    Working with the public

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

  • 49%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 49%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 49%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 48%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 48%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 47%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 45%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 45%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 44%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 44%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 41%

    Working with computers

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

  • 41%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 40%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 39%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 37%

    Scheduling work and activities

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

  • 37%

    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%

    Administrative

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

  • 76%

    Practical

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

  • 38%

    Enterprising

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

  • 38%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 24%

    Analytical

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

  • 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.

  • 50%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 38%

    Achievement

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

  • 38%

    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.

  • 33%

    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:

  • 100%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 93%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 91%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 88%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 87%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 84%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 82%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 81%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 80%

    Bright or inadequate lighting

    Work in extremely bright or dark lighting conditions.

  • 79%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 78%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 78%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 78%

    Repeating same tasks

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

  • 77%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 77%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 76%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 76%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 76%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 75%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 75%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

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, 43-5041.00 - Meter Readers, Utilities.

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