Service Station Attendants

ANZSCO ID 6216

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
15,800
Future Growth
-5.9%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
24%
Female Share
47%
Average age
32

Summary

Service Station Attendants sell fuel, lubricants and other automotive accessories, and perform minor maintenance on motor vehicles at service stations.

Also known as: Driveway Attendant.

Formal qualifications are not usually required to work as a Service Station Attendant.

Tasks

  • filling fuel tanks and containers to level specified by customer

  • checking and replenishing air pressure in vehicle tyres, and oil and other vehicle fluid levels

  • washing vehicle windscreens and windows

  • performing minor repair work to vehicles such as replacing tyres, light bulbs and windscreen wiper blades

  • maintaining and operating automatic car wash facilities

  • collecting payments from customers for purchases

  • cleaning petrol pumps and surrounding driveway, shop and facilities

  • undertaking stock control and preparing reports on fuel, oil, accessories and other items sold

  • replenishing stock of fast foods, newspapers, magazines and grocery items

Characteristics

Job Type
Sales Workers
Skill Level
Entry level
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light

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 decline
  • is likely to reach 10,600 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
-5.9%
(or -700 jobs)
From
11,300
in 2021
To
10,600
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 9,300
2012 11,100
2013 12,000
2014 7,500
2015 14,100
2016 10,900
2017 13,600
2018 10,300
2019 16,200
2020 12,700
2021 11,300
2026 10,600

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 30% of people employed as Service Station Attendants work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 36 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 42 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
Retail Trade
96.5%
2
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
1.8%
3
Mining
0.9%
4
Wholesale Trade
0.9%
  • Most Service Station Attendants work in the Retail trade industry.

    Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.


Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

29.3% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

20.9% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

22.9% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.9% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.5% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.1% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Service Station Attendants All Jobs Average
NSW 29.3 31.6
VIC 20.9 25.6
QLD 22.9 20.0
SA 8.9 7.0
WA 12.2 10.8
TAS 3.5 2.0
NT 1.1 1.0
ACT 1.1 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
32
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
47%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Service Station Attendants is 32 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 47% of the workforce. This is similar to 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 Service Station Attendants All Jobs Average
15-19 10.4 5.0
20-24 18.4 9.3
25-34 28.3 22.9
35-44 15.8 22.0
45-54 13.9 21.6
55-59 6.0 9.0
60-64 4.4 6.0
65 and Over 2.9 4.2
Median Age 32 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 Service Station Attendant.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore 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 Service Station Attendants All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 8.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 12.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 7.4 11.6
Certificate III/IV 12.8 21.1
Year 12 29.4 18.1
Year 11 7.9 4.8
Year 10 and below 21.6 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 Service Station Attendants who are well presented and provide good customer service.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 43%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 41%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 41%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 39%

    Active listening

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

  • 37%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 37%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 36%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 36%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 36%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 34%

    Monitoring

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

  • 34%

    Time management

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

  • 34%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 32%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 32%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 32%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 32%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 30%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 30%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 30%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 29%

    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.

  • 71%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 64%

    Mechanical

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

  • 59%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 58%

    Chemistry

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

  • 55%

    Administration and management

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

  • 50%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 48%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 45%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 43%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 40%

    Education and training

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

  • 39%

    Clerical

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

  • 36%

    English language

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

  • 36%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 35%

    Production and processing

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

  • 34%

    Physics

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

  • 32%

    Law and government

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

  • 27%

    Psychology

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

  • 27%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 23%

    Telecommunications

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

  • 20%

    Technical design

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 55%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 48%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 46%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 45%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 45%

    Near vision

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

  • 45%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 45%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 43%

    Control precision

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

  • 43%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 43%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • 43%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 43%

    Visualization

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

  • 41%

    Colour discrimination

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

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 39%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 36%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 36%

    Problem spotting

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


Activities

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

  • 66%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 64%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 63%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 62%

    Working with the public

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

  • 58%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 56%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 54%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 53%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 53%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 52%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 51%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 48%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 47%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 45%

    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.

  • 43%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 43%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 43%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 41%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 40%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of 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.

  • 67%

    Administrative

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

  • 48%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 33%

    Analytical

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

  • 33%

    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.


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.

  • 48%

    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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 24%

    Achievement

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

  • 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:
  • 99%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 97%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 95%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 94%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 92%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 92%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 91%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 91%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 90%

    Contact with people

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

  • 90%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 90%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 89%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 89%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 88%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 88%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 83%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 83%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 81%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 80%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

  • 80%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

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, 53-6031.00 - Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants.


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