Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers

ANZSCO ID 6311

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
120,800
Future Growth
5.8%
Weekly Earnings
$892
Full-Time Share
13%
Female Share
75%
Average age
21

Summary

Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers operate cash registers and receive payments from customers, and issue receipts and return change due.

Tasks

  • scanning, weighing and recording prices of goods

  • receiving and processing payments for goods and services by cash, cheques, gift vouchers, credit and debit cards and other payment types

  • issuing sales dockets and giving change

  • maintaining supplies of change, wrapping and other materials used at checkout

  • counting and recording money received and balancing against register sales records, and preparing money for deposit in financial institutions

  • recording and balancing petty cash disbursements

  • operating a computer terminal to administer the store's financial transaction system

  • cashing authorised cheques

Characteristics

Job Type
Sales Workers
Skill Level
Entry level
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium

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 grow moderately
  • is likely to reach 155,600 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
5.8%
(or 8,500 jobs)
From
147,000
in 2021
To
155,600
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 134,700
2012 135,200
2013 144,900
2014 148,300
2015 127,400
2016 136,000
2017 140,200
2018 154,200
2019 168,700
2020 167,100
2021 147,000
2026 155,600

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 14% of people employed as Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 52 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 40 hours per week in their main job. This is 4 hours less than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $892 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $837
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,084

    Median hourly earnings are $24, this is lower than 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 Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 892 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
Retail Trade
76.8%
2
Accommodation and Food Services
16.1%
3
Manufacturing
1.7%
4
Public Administration and Safety
1.5%
5
Other industries
4.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

27.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

25.9% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

21.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.4% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.5% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.1% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.8% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.5% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers All Jobs Average
NSW 27.7 31.6
VIC 25.9 25.6
QLD 21.0 20.0
SA 8.4 7.0
WA 12.5 10.8
TAS 2.1 2.0
NT 0.8 1.0
ACT 1.5 1.9


  • Around 42% of Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    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
21
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
75%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers is 21 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 15 to 19 years.

    Females make up 75% of the workforce. This is 27 percentage points above 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 Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers All Jobs Average
15-19 39.9 5.0
20-24 19.3 9.3
25-34 14.1 22.9
35-44 8.4 22.0
45-54 9.4 21.6
55-59 4.5 9.0
60-64 3.0 6.0
65 and Over 1.5 4.2
Median Age 21 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 Checkout Operator or Cashier. Some workers have a certificate I or II in retail services.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Retail Services 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 Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 2.4 10.1
Bachelor degree 7.3 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 8.5 21.1
Year 12 36.2 18.1
Year 11 13.8 4.8
Year 10 and below 26.6 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 Checkout Operators and Office Cashiers who interact well with others, provide good customer service and are reliable.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 41%

    Active listening

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

  • 41%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 39%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 39%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 37%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 37%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 36%

    Monitoring

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

  • 36%

    Time management

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

  • 36%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 34%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 34%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 32%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 30%

    Active learning

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

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 29%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 29%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 29%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 27%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 27%

    Learning strategies

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 57%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 48%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 38%

    English language

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

  • 38%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 34%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 32%

    Education and training

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

  • 28%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 27%

    Psychology

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

  • 23%

    Clerical

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

  • 21%

    Administration and management

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

  • 20%

    Communications and media

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

  • 17%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 16%

    Mechanical

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

  • 15%

    Production and processing

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

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 15%

    Telecommunications

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

  • 14%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 14%

    Transportation

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

  • 14%

    Law and government

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

  • 14%

    Food production

    Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 50%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 46%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 46%

    Near vision

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

  • 45%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 45%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 41%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 41%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 41%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 37%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 37%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 37%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 36%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 36%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 36%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 34%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 32%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 32%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 32%

    Memorization

    Remember things like words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.

  • 29%

    Mathematics

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


Activities

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

  • 65%

    Working with the public

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

  • 56%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 54%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 51%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 45%

    Influencing people

    Convincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.

  • 41%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 41%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 39%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 39%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 38%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 38%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 36%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 36%

    Coaching and developing others

    Working out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.

  • 34%

    Coordinating the work of a team

    Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.

  • 33%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 32%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 32%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 29%

    Working with computers

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

  • 29%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 28%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.


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.

  • 95%

    Administrative

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

  • 62%

    Enterprising

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

  • 38%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 38%

    Practical

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

  • 19%

    Creative

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

  • 14%

    Analytical

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


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 67%

    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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 38%

    Achievement

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

  • 38%

    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.

  • 29%

    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:
  • 95%

    Contact with people

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

  • 94%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 93%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 91%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 89%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 83%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 82%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 82%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 80%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 80%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 77%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 74%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 69%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 69%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 66%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 65%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 64%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 63%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 60%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 56%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

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, 41-2011.00 - Cashiers.


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