Small Engine Mechanics

ANZSCO ID 321214

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,700
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
82%
Female Share
1%
Average age
41

Summary

Small Engine Mechanics maintain, test and repair engines of chainsaws, lawn mowers, garden tractors and other equipment with small engines.

Specialisations: Chainsaw Mechanic, Lawnmower Mechanic, Outboard Motor Mechanic.

A certificate III in mobile plant technology, outdoor power equipment technology or marine mechanical technology is usually needed to work as a Small Engine Mechanic.

Tasks

  • Detects and diagnoses faults in engines and parts.

  • Dismantles and removes engine assemblies, transmissions, steering mechanisms and other components, and checks parts.

  • Repairs and replaces worn and defective parts and reassembles mechanical components, and refers to service manuals as needed.

  • Performs scheduled maintenance services such as oil changes, lubrications and engine tune-ups to achieve smoother running of vehicles and ensure compliance with pollution regulations.

  • Reassembles engines and parts after being repaired.

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • 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, Motor Mechanics, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 82% of people employed as Small Engine Mechanics work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 16 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
Other Services
40.1%
2
Retail Trade
31.2%
3
Manufacturing
5.7%
4
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
2.8%
5
Other industries
11.6%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

27.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

21.3% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

29.4% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

4.5% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.0% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

4.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

2.0% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.9% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Small Engine Mechanics All Jobs Average
NSW 27.8 31.6
VIC 21.3 25.6
QLD 29.4 20.0
SA 4.5 7.0
WA 10.0 10.8
TAS 4.0 2.0
NT 2.0 1.0
ACT 0.9 1.9


  • Around 68% of Small Engine Mechanics 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.

    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
41
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
1%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Small Engine Mechanics is 41 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

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

    Females make up 1% of the workforce. This is 47 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 Small Engine Mechanics All Jobs Average
15-19 9.3 5.0
20-24 11.1 9.3
25-34 18.6 22.9
35-44 17.2 22.0
45-54 22.0 21.6
55-59 10.1 9.0
60-64 7.1 6.0
65 and Over 4.5 4.2
Median Age 41 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 III in mobile plant technology, outdoor power equipment technology or marine mechanical technology is usually needed to work as a Small Engine Mechanic.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Automotive Retail, Service and Repair and Automotive Manufacturing 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 Small Engine Mechanics All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.2 10.1
Bachelor degree 1.5 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 3.2 11.6
Certificate III/IV 64.0 21.1
Year 12 8.9 18.1
Year 11 5.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 16.9 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 Motor Mechanics who are hardworking with a good work ethic, reliable and provide good customer service.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 52%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 52%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 52%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 48%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 48%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 43%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 41%

    Active learning

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

  • 41%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 41%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 41%

    Monitoring

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

  • 39%

    Active listening

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

  • 39%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 37%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 37%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 37%

    Time management

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

  • 36%

    Equipment selection

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

  • 36%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 36%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 36%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 76%

    Mechanical

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

  • 52%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 50%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 49%

    Administration and management

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

  • 49%

    Clerical

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

  • 45%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 45%

    English language

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

  • 44%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 41%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 41%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 40%

    Education and training

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

  • 38%

    Chemistry

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

  • 37%

    Physics

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

  • 36%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 35%

    Technical design

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

  • 33%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 33%

    Production and processing

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

  • 31%

    Transportation

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

  • 27%

    Psychology

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

  • 24%

    Communications and media

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Visualization

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

  • 50%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 48%

    Control precision

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

  • 48%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 48%

    Near vision

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

  • 48%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 46%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 46%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 46%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 45%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 45%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 41%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 41%

    Reaction time

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

  • 41%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 39%

    Depth perception

    Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.

  • 39%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 39%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.


Activities

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

  • 81%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 77%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 70%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 68%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 67%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 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.

  • 57%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 54%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 53%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 51%

    Scheduling work and activities

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

  • 49%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 44%

    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.

  • 42%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 40%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 40%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 39%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 37%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 36%

    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.

  • 48%

    Administrative

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

  • 43%

    Enterprising

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

  • 29%

    Analytical

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

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 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%

    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.

  • 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%

    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%

    Achievement

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

  • 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.

  • 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:
  • 94%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 90%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 89%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 86%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 86%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 85%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 84%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 83%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 83%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 80%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 79%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 77%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 77%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 76%

    Contact with people

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

  • 75%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 74%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 70%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 66%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 65%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 63%

    Dangerous conditions

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

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, 49-3053.00 - Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics.


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