Boat Builders and Shipwrights

ANZSCO ID 3991

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
5,900
Future Growth
0%
Weekly Earnings
$1,685
Full-Time Share
84%
Female Share
2%
Average age
41

Summary

Boat Builders and Shipwrights construct, fit out and repair boats and ships.

Tasks

  • studying plans and specifications, and preparing templates and scale plans for fabrication and cutting of hull sections

  • marking reference points and lines on dry docks and slipways

  • checking position and functioning of slipway apparatus

  • assembling shells of boats and erecting hull sections of ship

  • erecting and preparing launching platforms, conducting pre-launch tests and supervising launching procedures

  • installing masts, frames, decking, fittings, machines, shafts and safety equipment

  • building and installing structures such as cabins, machine mountings, propeller supports and rudders

  • determining repair requirements and procedures

  • may make hull moulds and fabricate and repair vessels using materials such as aluminium, wood, glass, reinforced plastics, carbon fibre, Kevlar, fibreglass and concrete

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Creative
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • Heavy

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 in this occupation is likely to remain stable.

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
0%
(or 0 jobs)
From
5,100
in 2021
To
5,100
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 5,200
2012 4,200
2013 4,800
2014 4,800
2015 5,100
2016 4,800
2017 5,800
2018 3,200
2019 4,400
2020 6,800
2021 5,100
2026 5,100

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 87% of people employed as Boat Builders and Shipwrights work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 21 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 44 hours per week in their main job. This is the same as the all jobs average.

    Median full-time earnings are $1,685 per week, this is higher than weekly earnings for all jobs ($1,593).

    Median hourly earnings are $40, this is similar to the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Boat Builders and Shipwrights All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,685 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
84.9%
2
Construction
3.8%
3
Accommodation and Food Services
3.8%
4
Retail Trade
1.9%
5
Other industries
5.7%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

23.4% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

14.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

34.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.3% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

15.6% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

4.6% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.8% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Boat Builders and Shipwrights All Jobs Average
NSW 23.4 31.6
VIC 14.1 25.6
QLD 34.1 20.0
SA 7.3 7.0
WA 15.6 10.8
TAS 4.6 2.0
NT 0.8 1.0
ACT 0.1 1.9


  • Around 51% of Boat Builders and Shipwrights 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
41
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
2%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Boat Builders and Shipwrights is 41 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 35 to 44 years.

    Females make up 2% of the workforce. This is 46 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 Boat Builders and Shipwrights All Jobs Average
15-19 4.3 5.0
20-24 9.3 9.3
25-34 22.0 22.9
35-44 23.2 22.0
45-54 21.9 21.6
55-59 9.5 9.0
60-64 6.0 6.0
65 and Over 3.7 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 marine craft construction is usually needed to work as a Boat Builder or Shipwright. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Maritime, Automotive Retail, Service and Repair and Metal and Engineering 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 Boat Builders and Shipwrights All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 3.3 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 62.0 21.1
Year 12 12.1 18.1
Year 11 4.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 12.4 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 Boat Builders and Shipwrights who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 71%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 71%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 64%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 64%

    Active learning

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

  • 63%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 63%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 61%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 59%

    Active listening

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

  • 59%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 57%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 55%

    Monitoring

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

  • 55%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 54%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 52%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 52%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 50%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 46%

    Time management

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

  • 45%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 45%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 41%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 90%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 83%

    Technical design

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

  • 81%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 78%

    Physics

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

  • 73%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 61%

    Administration and management

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

  • 60%

    Building and construction

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

  • 60%

    English language

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

  • 57%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 55%

    Mechanical

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

  • 54%

    Transportation

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

  • 52%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 47%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 47%

    Chemistry

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

  • 44%

    Education and training

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

  • 41%

    Production and processing

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

  • 40%

    Law and government

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

  • 39%

    Clerical

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

  • 34%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 34%

    Public safety and security

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 73%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 73%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 70%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 70%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 66%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 66%

    Visualization

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

  • 64%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 63%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 63%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 63%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 61%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 61%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 59%

    Near vision

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

  • 59%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 59%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 57%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 52%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 46%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 46%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 43%

    Perceptual speed

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


Activities

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

  • 80%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

    Detailing and describing how devices, parts or equipment are to be made, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

  • 72%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 70%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 70%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 69%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 69%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 65%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 62%

    Working with computers

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

  • 61%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 61%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 61%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 60%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 59%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 59%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 54%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 53%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 49%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 49%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 49%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 47%

    Checking for errors or defects

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


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%

    Analytical

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

  • 76%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 76%

    Practical

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

  • 43%

    Administrative

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

  • 29%

    Enterprising

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

  • 19%

    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.
  • 76%

    Achievement

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

  • 76%

    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.

  • 76%

    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.

  • 71%

    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.

  • 69%

    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.

  • 62%

    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.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 96%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 95%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 94%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 92%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 91%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 86%

    Contact with people

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

  • 85%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 82%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 82%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 79%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 75%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 75%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 72%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 72%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 70%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 68%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 68%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 68%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 67%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

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, 17-2121.02 - Marine Architects.


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