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Lifeguards

ANZSCO ID 452414

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Overview

Snapshot

Employed
4,400
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
17%
Female Share
38%
Average age
21
About this data

Summary

Lifeguards look after the safety of people at beaches or swimming pools, through accident prevention and rescue, and educating the public on water safety.

Tasks

  • Promotes water safety awareness and undertakes rescue of people in difficulty in the water.

Characteristics

Job Type
Community And Personal Service Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
4524 Sportspersons
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
  • Helping
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium

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, Sportspersons, under the outlook section.

Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 17% of people employed as Lifeguards work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 49 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).

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.

Industries

Main industries

1
Arts and Recreation Services
55.3%
2
Public Administration and Safety
27.9%
3
Education and Training
6.1%
4
Other Services
2.7%
5
Other industries
5.5%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

28.0% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

33.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

18.3% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

4.1% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.0% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.7% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.6% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Lifeguards All Jobs Average
NSW 28.0 31.6
VIC 33.2 25.6
QLD 18.3 20.0
SA 4.1 7.0
WA 10.9 10.8
TAS 2.0 2.0
NT 1.7 1.0
ACT 1.6 1.9


  • Around 42% of Lifeguards live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Victoria 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
21
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
38%
All Jobs Average is 48%

  • The median age of Lifeguards is 21 years. This is younger than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 20 to 24 years.

    Females make up 38% of the workforce. This is 10 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 Lifeguards All Jobs Average
15-19 29.2 5.0
20-24 42.0 9.3
25-34 12.2 22.9
35-44 6.2 22.0
45-54 5.5 21.6
55-59 2.5 9.0
60-64 1.5 6.0
65 and Over 0.8 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

A certificate II or III in public safety (aquatic rescue), a royal life saving pool lifeguard certificate or a surf life saving bronze medallion is usually needed to work as a Lifeguard.

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 Lifeguards All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 1.4 10.1
Bachelor degree 10.9 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 6.7 11.6
Certificate III/IV 14.3 21.1
Year 12 52.9 18.1
Year 11 7.8 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 Sportspersons who are motivated, have a positive attitude and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 48%

    Monitoring

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

  • 48%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 46%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 46%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Active listening

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

  • 45%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 43%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 43%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 41%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 39%

    Active learning

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

  • 39%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 37%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 37%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 37%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 30%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 30%

    Time management

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

  • 29%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 27%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 18%

    Operation monitoring

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

Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 85%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 55%

    Education and training

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

  • 44%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 40%

    Medicine and dentistry

    Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.

  • 37%

    Psychology

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

  • 34%

    English language

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

  • 32%

    Law and government

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

  • 31%

    Administration and management

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

  • 31%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 31%

    Chemistry

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

  • 30%

    Clerical

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

  • 25%

    Physics

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

  • 24%

    Mechanical

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

  • 23%

    Biology

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

  • 23%

    Geography

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

  • 21%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 20%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 19%

    Sociology and anthropology

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

  • 18%

    Communications and media

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

  • 17%

    Telecommunications

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

Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 59%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 54%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 54%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 52%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 48%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 48%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 45%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 43%

    Near vision

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

  • 43%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 43%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 41%

    Speed of recognition

    Quickly make sense of and organize things you can see like letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • 41%

    Stamina

    Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.

  • 41%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 39%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 37%

    Multitasking

    Do two or more things at the same time.

  • 37%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 32%

    Multilimb coordination

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

Activities

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

  • 74%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 66%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 60%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 54%

    Working with the public

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

  • 50%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 49%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 46%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 46%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 42%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 40%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 40%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 38%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 38%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 36%

    Coaching and developing others

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

  • 36%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 35%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 35%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 35%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 27%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 25%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use 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.

  • 90%

    Practical

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

  • 86%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 43%

    Enterprising

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

  • 38%

    Administrative

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

  • 38%

    Analytical

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

  • 14%

    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%

    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.

  • 76%

    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.

  • 71%

    Achievement

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

  • 67%

    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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 40%

    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.

Demands

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

  • 93%

    Contact with people

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

  • 92%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 91%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 91%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 89%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 88%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 81%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 77%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 77%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 75%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 71%

    Angry or unpleasant people

    Deal with unpleasant, angry, or rude people.

  • 70%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 69%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 68%

    Conflict situations

    Deal with conflict or disagreements.

  • 68%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 67%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 65%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 64%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 62%

    Repeating same tasks

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

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, 33-9092.00 - Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers.

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