Outdoor Adventure Guides

ANZSCO ID 4522

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
3,500
Future Growth
0%
Weekly Earnings
$1,264
Full-Time Share
47%
Female Share
37%
Average age
30

Summary

Outdoor Adventure Guides direct, instruct and guide individuals and groups in outdoor adventure activities such as bungy jumping, fishing and hunting, mountaineering, trekking and whitewater rafting.

Tasks

  • meeting members of a tour on arrival and making introductions

  • organising and supervising groups involved in outdoor adventures such as bungy jumping, fishing and hunting, mountaineering, trekking and whitewater rafting

  • setting up and maintaining equipment, and ensuring that equipment is safe and in working condition

  • demonstrating and providing instruction in the use of equipment and techniques required for participation

  • providing advice on safety measures, and ensuring that activities are conducted in a manner to minimise risk to participants

  • responding to emergencies by providing first aid assistance and taking appropriate further action if required

  • answering questions and advising on local interest points within a specific region

  • may maintain written reports of daily activities and carry out other administrative work

Characteristics

Job Type
Community And Personal Service Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Administrative
  • Enterprising
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very 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
1,300
in 2021
To
1,400
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 2,800
2012 2,300
2013 600
2014 3,000
2015 1,800
2016 4,200
2017 4,200
2018 6,300
2019 3,900
2020 1,600
2021 1,300
2026 1,400

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 57% of people employed as Outdoor Adventure Guides work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 9 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 49 hours per week in their main job. This is 5 hours more than the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,264 per week, this is much lower than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,168
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,540

    Median hourly earnings are $30, 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 Outdoor Adventure Guides All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,264 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
Arts and Recreation Services
42.9%
2
Education and Training
40.0%
3
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
5.7%
4
Health Care and Social Assistance
5.7%
5
Other industries
2.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

27.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

27.8% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

23.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

4.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

9.7% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

3.5% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

2.6% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.1% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Outdoor Adventure Guides All Jobs Average
NSW 27.7 31.6
VIC 27.8 25.6
QLD 23.1 20.0
SA 4.6 7.0
WA 9.7 10.8
TAS 3.5 2.0
NT 2.6 1.0
ACT 1.1 1.9


  • Around 61% of Outdoor Adventure Guides live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Queensland has a large share of employment relative to its 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
30
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
37%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Outdoor Adventure Guides is 30 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 37% of the workforce. This is 11 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 Outdoor Adventure Guides All Jobs Average
15-19 9.5 5.0
20-24 22.4 9.3
25-34 30.0 22.9
35-44 16.0 22.0
45-54 13.5 21.6
55-59 4.3 9.0
60-64 2.6 6.0
65 and Over 1.6 4.2
Median Age 30 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

Relevant experience is usually needed to work as an Outdoor Adventure Guide. Some workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in outdoor recreation.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Sport, Fitness and Recreation 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 Outdoor Adventure Guides All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 11.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 26.3 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 11.0 11.6
Certificate III/IV 25.5 21.1
Year 12 18.9 18.1
Year 11 2.0 4.8
Year 10 and below 5.3 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 Outdoor Adventure Guides who interact well with others, provide good customer service and are physically fit.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 57%

    Active listening

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

  • 50%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 50%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 50%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 50%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 48%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 48%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 48%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 46%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 46%

    Monitoring

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

  • 46%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 45%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 45%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 45%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 43%

    Time management

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

  • 41%

    Active learning

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

  • 39%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 37%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 36%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 75%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 71%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 66%

    Clerical

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

  • 64%

    Administration and management

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

  • 58%

    Geography

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

  • 50%

    Education and training

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

  • 49%

    English language

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

  • 45%

    Transportation

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

  • 45%

    History and archeology

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

  • 43%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 42%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 39%

    Sociology and anthropology

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

  • 38%

    Communications and media

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

  • 38%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 38%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 36%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 34%

    Fine arts

    Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • 31%

    Production and processing

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

  • 30%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 23%

    Foreign language

    Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 61%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 59%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 59%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 52%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 48%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 48%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 48%

    Brainstorming

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

  • 48%

    Originality

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

  • 46%

    Near vision

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

  • 46%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 46%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 45%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 45%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 43%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 41%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 38%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 36%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 36%

    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.

  • 76%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 67%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 66%

    Influencing people

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

  • 65%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 64%

    Working with the public

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

  • 59%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 55%

    Guiding and directing staff

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

  • 55%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 53%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 53%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 51%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 48%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 47%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 46%

    Coaching and developing others

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

  • 43%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 41%

    Scheduling work and activities

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

  • 41%

    Working with computers

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

  • 40%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 39%

    Providing office support

    Doing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.

  • 31%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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


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.

  • 90%

    Enterprising

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

  • 81%

    Administrative

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

  • 57%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 43%

    Practical

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

  • 38%

    Creative

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

  • 29%

    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.
  • 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.

  • 71%

    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.

  • 62%

    Achievement

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

  • 45%

    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.

  • 43%

    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%

    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%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 93%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 93%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 91%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 90%

    Contact with people

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

  • 90%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 87%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 87%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 86%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 84%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 83%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 82%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 76%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 75%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 75%

    Letters and memos

    Write letters and memos.

  • 75%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 74%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 66%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 62%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 61%

    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, 39-7012.00 - Travel Guides.


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