Radiocommunications Technicians

ANZSCO ID 313211

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
870
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
88%
Female Share
4%
Average age
44

Summary

Radiocommunications Technicians install, maintain, repair and diagnose malfunctions of microwave, telemetry, multiplexing, satellite and other radio and electromagnetic wave communication systems.

Tasks

  • Installs, maintains, repairs and diagnoses malfunctions of microwave, telemetry, satellite and other radio and electromagnetic communication systems.

  • Liaises with vendors, suppliers, service providers and external resources and monitors contractual obligations and performance delivery.

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
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium

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, Telecommunications Technical Specialists, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 88% of people employed as Radiocommunications Technicians work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 22 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

1
Information Media and Telecommunications
28.3%
2
Public Administration and Safety
11.2%
3
Manufacturing
9.2%
4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
8.4%
5
Other industries
38.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

26.2% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

19.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

24.3% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

9.7% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

14.3% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.3% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

2.9% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Radiocommunications Technicians All Jobs Average
NSW 26.2 31.6
VIC 19.8 25.6
QLD 24.3 20.0
SA 9.7 7.0
WA 14.3 10.8
TAS 1.3 2.0
NT 1.4 1.0
ACT 2.9 1.9


  • Around 43% of Radiocommunications Technicians live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Queensland and Western Australia have a large share of employment relative to their 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
44
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
4%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Radiocommunications Technicians is 44 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 4% of the workforce. This is 44 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 Radiocommunications Technicians All Jobs Average
15-19 1.4 5.0
20-24 6.7 9.3
25-34 21.1 22.9
35-44 22.3 22.0
45-54 25.5 21.6
55-59 10.6 9.0
60-64 7.8 6.0
65 and Over 4.7 4.2
Median Age 44 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 certificate IV or diploma in telecommunications engineering or another related field is usually needed to work as a Radiocommunications Technician. Some workers have a related university qualification.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Transmission & Distribution 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 Radiocommunications Technicians All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 2.3 10.1
Bachelor degree 10.9 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 26.6 11.6
Certificate III/IV 47.6 21.1
Year 12 8.0 18.1
Year 11 1.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 3.1 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 Telecommunications Technical Specialists who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 52%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 52%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 50%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 46%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.

  • 46%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 46%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 45%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 45%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 43%

    Monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Active listening

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

  • 41%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 39%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 39%

    Equipment selection

    Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • 39%

    Time management

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

  • 39%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 37%

    Active learning

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

  • 37%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 32%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 71%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 68%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 65%

    Telecommunications

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

  • 64%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 58%

    Mechanical

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

  • 57%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 53%

    Technical design

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

  • 51%

    Education and training

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

  • 48%

    Physics

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

  • 43%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 42%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 41%

    English language

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

  • 41%

    Production and processing

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

  • 38%

    Administration and management

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

  • 34%

    Communications and media

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

  • 34%

    Clerical

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

  • 32%

    Building and construction

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

  • 28%

    Transportation

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

  • 25%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 22%

    Economics and accounting

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 52%

    Near vision

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

  • 52%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 50%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 50%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 50%

    Visualization

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

  • 46%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 46%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 46%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 46%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 46%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 46%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 45%

    Colour discrimination

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

  • 43%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 43%

    Control precision

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

  • 43%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 39%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 38%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

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

  • 85%

    Working with electronic equipment

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

  • 75%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 73%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 68%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 68%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 66%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 66%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 65%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 65%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 64%

    Working with the public

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

  • 64%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 63%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 61%

    Working with mechanical equipment

    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.

  • 61%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 60%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 60%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 58%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 57%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 54%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 53%

    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.

  • 76%

    Analytical

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

  • 62%

    Administrative

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 57%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 48%

    Achievement

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

  • 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%

    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%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 97%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 92%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 87%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 86%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 85%

    Contact with people

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

  • 85%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 80%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 80%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 79%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 77%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 76%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 75%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 74%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 72%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 69%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 68%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 68%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 65%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 65%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

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, 49-2021.01 - Radio Mechanics.


Links and downloads

Back to top