Agricultural Consultants
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Agricultural Consultants advise farmers, agricultural businesses, rural industries and government on the production, processing and distribution of farm products.
Specialisations: Agricultural Extension Officer, Landcare Officer.
A bachelor degree in agribusiness or agricultural science or another related field is usually needed to work as an Agricultural Consultant. In some states, training may also be available through Vocational Education and Training (VET).
Tasks
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Collects and analyses data and samples of produce, fertiliser, feed, soil and other factors affecting production.
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Advises farmers and farm managers on techniques for improving the production of crops and livestock, and alternative agricultural options.
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Advises farmers on issues such as livestock and crop disease, control of pests and weeds, soil improvement, animal husbandry and feeding programmes.
Characteristics
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University
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Practical
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Analytical
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Enterprising
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Helping
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Light
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Medium
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, Agricultural and Forestry Scientists, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 71% of people employed as Agricultural Consultants work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 5 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 46 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
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Agricultural Consultants work in industries like:
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing
- Public administration and safety
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Manufacturing.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Agricultural Consultants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 24.8 | 31.6 |
VIC | 22.3 | 25.6 |
QLD | 22.2 | 20.0 |
SA | 9.4 | 7.0 |
WA | 14.2 | 10.8 |
TAS | 5.2 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.8 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.1 | 1.9 |
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Around 71% of Agricultural Consultants live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.
Western Australia and Tasmania 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
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The median age of Agricultural Consultants is 49 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 29% of the workforce. This is 19 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)
Age Bracket | Agricultural Consultants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 0.7 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 3.5 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 14.5 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 22.0 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 23.3 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 11.1 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 11.2 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 13.8 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 49 | 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 bachelor degree in agribusiness or agricultural science or another related field is usually needed to work as an Agricultural Consultant. In some states, training may also be available through Vocational Education and Training (VET).
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 Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management, Forest and Wood Products Industry, Sustainability and Laboratory Operations VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Agricultural Consultants | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 22.7 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 39.7 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 13.2 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 10.2 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 7.4 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 2.1 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 4.7 | 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 Agricultural and Forestry Scientists who can communicate clearly, work well in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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64%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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64%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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61%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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59%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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59%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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59%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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59%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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57%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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57%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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57%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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55%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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55%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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55%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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55%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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54%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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54%
Systems evaluationMeasuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
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54%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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52%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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50%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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45%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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86%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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78%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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72%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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64%
BiologyPlant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
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62%
Food productionPlanting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.
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60%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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58%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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58%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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57%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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56%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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55%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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55%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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54%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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54%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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49%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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45%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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45%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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43%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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40%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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33%
Engineering and technologyUse engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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66%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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64%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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63%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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61%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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61%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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61%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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59%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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59%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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59%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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57%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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57%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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55%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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54%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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48%
MathematicsChoose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.
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48%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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46%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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45%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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45%
MemorizationRemember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
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41%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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41%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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88%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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87%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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85%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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79%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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79%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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78%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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76%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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75%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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72%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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70%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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69%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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65%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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64%
Making sense of information and ideasLooking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
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64%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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64%
Giving expert adviceProviding guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.
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62%
Coming up with systems and processesDeciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
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62%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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60%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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56%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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46%
Working with computersUsing 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.
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100%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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76%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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67%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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62%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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33%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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33%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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86%
RelationshipsServe 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.
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76%
IndependenceWork 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.
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71%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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62%
RecognitionAdvancement 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.
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60%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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38%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
Demands
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100%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
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100%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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94%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
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94%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
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92%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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90%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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88%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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84%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
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82%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
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79%
In an enclosed vehicle or equipmentWork in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).
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76%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
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75%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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75%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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74%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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72%
Public speakingTalk to a group of people.
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71%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
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69%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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66%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
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62%
Indoors, not heat controlledWork indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).
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59%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
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, 25-9021.00 - Farm and Home Management Advisors.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.