Fire Protection Equipment Technicians

ANZSCO ID 399918

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
3,300
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
91%
Female Share
3%
Average age
41

Summary

Fire Protection Equipment Technicians install, test and maintain fire protection equipment and systems such as extinguishers, hoses, reels, hydrants, fire blankets, exit lighting, fire and smoke doors, gaseous fire suppression systems, passive fire and smoke containment systems and foam generating equipment.

Specialisations: Fire Extinguisher Technician.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Fire Protection Equipment Technician. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in fire protection.

Tasks

  • Protects human life and property from fire damage, using fire prevention techniques.

  • Reads and understands complicated technical documents.

  • Keeps up to date with fire protection measures against terrorist threats or natural disasters.

  • Analyses existing protection measures and designs up-to-date fire protection systems.

  • Consults with architects or other industry experts to design safe buildings or transportation vehicles.

  • Researches new issues in fire prevention and develops solutions, sometimes with the use of advanced computer modelling systems, to predict the occurrence and spread of fire.

  • Tests the ability of particular chemicals to suppress fire or performs research on existing fire prevention techniques.

  • Conducts analysis of fire risks and develops appropriate safeguards.

Characteristics


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, Other Technicians and Trades Workers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 91% of people employed as Fire Protection Equipment Technicians work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 25 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.

    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
36.2%
2
Construction
31.5%
3
Other Services
11.3%
4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
6.7%
5
Other industries
7.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

33.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

21.3% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.7% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.5% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

12.2% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.2% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.6% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.8% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Fire Protection Equipment Technicians All Jobs Average
NSW 33.8 31.6
VIC 21.3 25.6
QLD 20.7 20.0
SA 7.5 7.0
WA 12.2 10.8
TAS 1.2 2.0
NT 1.6 1.0
ACT 1.8 1.9



Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
41
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
3%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Fire Protection Equipment Technicians 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 3% of the workforce. This is 45 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 Fire Protection Equipment Technicians All Jobs Average
15-19 1.0 5.0
20-24 7.0 9.3
25-34 24.7 22.9
35-44 26.1 22.0
45-54 22.5 21.6
55-59 9.2 9.0
60-64 6.3 6.0
65 and Over 3.2 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

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Fire Protection Equipment Technician. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in fire protection.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Health Industry, Plastics, Rubber & Cablemaking and Property 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 Fire Protection Equipment Technicians All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 3.6 10.1
Bachelor degree 5.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 7.6 11.6
Certificate III/IV 48.7 21.1
Year 12 15.4 18.1
Year 11 5.5 4.8
Year 10 and below 13.8 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 Other Technicians and Trades Workers who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 59%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 59%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 57%

    Active learning

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

  • 57%

    Active listening

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

  • 57%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 57%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 57%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 57%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 55%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 55%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 55%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 54%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 54%

    Time management

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

  • 52%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 52%

    Monitoring

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

  • 48%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 48%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 45%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 85%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 81%

    Technical design

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

  • 75%

    Building and construction

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

  • 71%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 66%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 66%

    Physics

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

  • 62%

    Mechanical

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

  • 61%

    Chemistry

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

  • 59%

    Administration and management

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

  • 59%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 58%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 56%

    English language

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

  • 53%

    Education and training

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

  • 52%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 47%

    Law and government

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

  • 47%

    Clerical

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

  • 45%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 37%

    Psychology

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

  • 36%

    Communications and media

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

  • 35%

    Economics and accounting

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 63%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 63%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 57%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 57%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 57%

    Brainstorming

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

  • 57%

    Originality

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

  • 55%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 55%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 55%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 55%

    Near vision

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

  • 54%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 54%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 54%

    Visualization

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

  • 52%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 46%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 45%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 45%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.


Activities

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

  • 78%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 77%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 77%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 75%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 74%

    Giving expert advice

    Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups.

  • 73%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 72%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 72%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 72%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 71%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 71%

    Scheduling work and activities

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

  • 70%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

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

  • 69%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 69%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 67%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 66%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 64%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 63%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 62%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 55%

    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.

  • 95%

    Analytical

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

  • 76%

    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.

  • 57%

    Administrative

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

  • 33%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 29%

    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.
  • 81%

    Achievement

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

  • 81%

    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.

  • 79%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 62%

    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.

  • 43%

    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:
  • 99%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 96%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 89%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 89%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 85%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 85%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 84%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 83%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 80%

    Contact with people

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

  • 79%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 79%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 78%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 76%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 76%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 74%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 68%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 66%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 64%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 63%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 62%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

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, 17-2111.02 - Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers.


Links and downloads

Back to top