Conservation Officers

ANZSCO ID 234311

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
4,200
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
76%
Female Share
47%
Average age
39

Summary

Conservation Officers develop and implement programs and regulations for the protection of fish, wildlife and other natural resources.

Specialisations: Landcare Facilitator.

A bachelor degree in a relevant field is usually needed to work as a Conservation Officer. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.

Tasks

  • Evaluates habitat, wildlife and fisheries needs, and formulates short and long-term management goals and objectives.

  • Enforces laws and regulations to conserve and protect fish and wildlife.

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy

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, Environmental Scientists, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 76% of people employed as Conservation Officers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 10 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 41 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
Public Administration and Safety
56.7%
2
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
5.8%
3
Arts and Recreation Services
5.8%
4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
5.7%
5
Other industries
22.6%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

31.5% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

17.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

21.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.1% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

16.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.8% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

2.4% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Conservation Officers All Jobs Average
NSW 31.5 31.6
VIC 17.1 25.6
QLD 21.2 20.0
SA 6.1 7.0
WA 16.9 10.8
TAS 3.0 2.0
NT 1.8 1.0
ACT 2.4 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
39
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
47%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Conservation Officers is 39 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 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 Conservation Officers All Jobs Average
15-19 0.9 5.0
20-24 6.1 9.3
25-34 27.5 22.9
35-44 31.4 22.0
45-54 21.2 21.6
55-59 7.2 9.0
60-64 4.1 6.0
65 and Over 1.6 4.2
Median Age 39 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 a relevant field is usually needed to work as a Conservation Officer. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification.

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 and Sustainability 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 Conservation Officers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 22.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 49.1 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 10.3 11.6
Certificate III/IV 9.1 21.1
Year 12 5.5 18.1
Year 11 0.9 4.8
Year 10 and below 3.1 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 Environmental Scientists who can communicate clearly, work well in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 59%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 59%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 57%

    Active listening

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

  • 57%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 57%

    Monitoring

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

  • 55%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 54%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 54%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 54%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 54%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 54%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 54%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 52%

    Active learning

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

  • 50%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 48%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 46%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 46%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 46%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 45%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 41%

    Time management

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 72%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 69%

    Geography

    Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.

  • 66%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 63%

    Law and government

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

  • 59%

    English language

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

  • 58%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 57%

    Education and training

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

  • 56%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 55%

    Clerical

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

  • 54%

    Administration and management

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

  • 53%

    Food production

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

  • 52%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 51%

    Mechanical

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

  • 50%

    History and archeology

    Events of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.

  • 49%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 48%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 45%

    Building and construction

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

  • 45%

    Technical design

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

  • 44%

    Psychology

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

  • 33%

    Telecommunications

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 63%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 61%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 61%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 59%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 59%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 55%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 54%

    Originality

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

  • 54%

    Brainstorming

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

  • 52%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 50%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 48%

    Near vision

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

  • 48%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 46%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 46%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 45%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 45%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 45%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 41%

    Mathematics

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

  • 41%

    Depth perception

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


Activities

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

  • 90%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 80%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 78%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 78%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 78%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 78%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 77%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 77%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 74%

    Scheduling work and activities

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

  • 73%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 73%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 73%

    Working with the public

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

  • 73%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 71%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 70%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 70%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 68%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 64%

    Leading and encouraging a team

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

  • 56%

    Working with computers

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

  • 48%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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


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.

  • 86%

    Analytical

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

  • 86%

    Practical

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

  • 67%

    Enterprising

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

  • 52%

    Administrative

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

  • 24%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 19%

    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.
  • 76%

    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.

  • 71%

    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%

    Achievement

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

  • 57%

    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.

  • 57%

    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.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 98%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 96%

    Contact with people

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

  • 94%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 87%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 86%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 84%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 83%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 82%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

    Work in a closed vehicle (e.g., car).

  • 79%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 78%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 78%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 78%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 77%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 76%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 69%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 68%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 68%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 67%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

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, 19-1031.02 - Range Managers.


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