Diesel Motor Mechanics

ANZSCO ID 321212

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
7,800
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
94%
Female Share
1%
Average age
32

Summary

Diesel Motor Mechanics maintain, test and repair diesel motors and the mechanical parts of trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles such as transmissions, suspension, steering and brakes.

Specialisations: Automotive Heavy Mechanic.

A certificate III in automotive diesel engine technology, automotive diesel fuel technology or another related field is usually needed to work as a Diesel Motor Mechanic. These courses are often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

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.

  • Reassembles engines and parts after being repaired.

  • Tests and adjusts mechanical parts after being repaired for proper performance, diagnoses and tests parts with the assistance of computers.

  • May inspect vehicles and issue roadworthiness certificates or detail work required to achieve roadworthiness.

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)
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • 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, Motor Mechanics, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 94% of people employed as Diesel Motor Mechanics work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 28 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

1
Other Services
34.7%
2
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
24.5%
3
Wholesale Trade
11.9%
4
Manufacturing
9.1%
5
Other industries
17.1%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

25.6% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

27.1% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

21.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

10.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.6% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.5% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.6% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Diesel Motor Mechanics All Jobs Average
NSW 25.6 31.6
VIC 27.1 25.6
QLD 21.1 20.0
SA 10.6 7.0
WA 10.6 10.8
TAS 2.8 2.0
NT 1.5 1.0
ACT 0.6 1.9


  • Around 59% of Diesel Motor Mechanics live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    South Australia 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
32
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
1%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Diesel Motor Mechanics is 32 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 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 Diesel Motor Mechanics All Jobs Average
15-19 8.8 5.0
20-24 18.7 9.3
25-34 28.8 22.9
35-44 18.4 22.0
45-54 13.6 21.6
55-59 5.9 9.0
60-64 3.8 6.0
65 and Over 1.9 4.2
Median Age 32 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 automotive diesel engine technology, automotive diesel fuel technology or another related field is usually needed to work as a Diesel Motor Mechanic. These courses are often completed as part of an apprenticeship.

Registration or licencing may be required.

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 Diesel Motor Mechanics All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 0.9 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 2.8 11.6
Certificate III/IV 79.4 21.1
Year 12 7.4 18.1
Year 11 3.5 4.8
Year 10 and below 6.0 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.

  • 54%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 50%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 46%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 46%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 46%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 45%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 45%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Active learning

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

  • 43%

    Active listening

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

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Equipment selection

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

  • 41%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 41%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 41%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 41%

    Time management

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

  • 37%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 36%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 34%

    Systems evaluation

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 80%

    Mechanical

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

  • 57%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 55%

    Transportation

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

  • 54%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 48%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 48%

    Education and training

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

  • 47%

    English language

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

  • 44%

    Physics

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

  • 43%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 43%

    Administration and management

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

  • 43%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 42%

    Production and processing

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

  • 35%

    Chemistry

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

  • 34%

    Technical design

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

  • 32%

    Clerical

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

  • 30%

    Law and government

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

  • 22%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 20%

    Communications and media

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

  • 20%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 20%

    Telecommunications

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Near vision

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

  • 54%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 54%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 54%

    Visualization

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

  • 52%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 50%

    Control precision

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

  • 50%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 50%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 48%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 48%

    Auditory attention

    Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.

  • 46%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 46%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 46%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 46%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 46%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 45%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 45%

    Depth perception

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

  • 45%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 43%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 43%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.


Activities

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

  • 75%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 72%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 67%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 67%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 67%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 66%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 61%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 59%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 59%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 58%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 58%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 58%

    Working with electronic equipment

    Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.

  • 57%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 56%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 51%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 50%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 50%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 49%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 44%

    Guiding and directing staff

    Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.

  • 40%

    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.

  • 33%

    Analytical

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

  • 24%

    Enterprising

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

  • 14%

    Creative

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

  • 14%

    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.
  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 52%

    Achievement

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

  • 52%

    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.

  • 50%

    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%

    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:
  • 96%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 96%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 91%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 90%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 89%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 89%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 88%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 86%

    Contact with people

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

  • 85%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 84%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 83%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 82%

    Cramped work space

    Work in an awkward position or in cramped work spaces.

  • 82%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 81%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 78%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 77%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

    Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.

  • 77%

    Outdoors, under cover

    Work outdoors, under cover (e.g., in an open shed).

  • 72%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 72%

    In an open vehicle or equipment

    Work in an open vehicle (e.g., a tractor).

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, 49-3031.00 - Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists.


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