Logging Assistants

ANZSCO ID 841312

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
230
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
83%
Female Share
6%
Average age
49

Summary

Logging Assistants assist with logging, felling and sawing of trees in forests.

Specialisations: Sleeper Cutter.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Logging Assistant. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in forestry (harvesting and haulage) or horticulture.

Tasks

  • Removes major branches and tree tops, trims branches and saws trunks into logs.

  • Assists with loading and transporting logs.

  • Plans the felling of trees and determines the natural and intended fall of each tree.

  • Clears surrounding area of saplings and debris prior to tree-felling.

  • Operates and maintains manual and machine saws to fell trees and to cut felled trees into logs.

Characteristics

Job Type
Labourers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
n/a
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • Very 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, Forestry and Logging Workers, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 83% of people employed as Logging Assistants work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 17 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 52 hours per week in their main job. This is 8 hours more 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
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
66.1%
2
Manufacturing
11.2%
3
Construction
3.9%
4
Wholesale Trade
2.6%
5
Other industries
9.4%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

24.0% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

22.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.3% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

4.8% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

17.9% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

2.2% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Logging Assistants All Jobs Average
NSW 24.0 31.6
VIC 22.7 25.6
QLD 20.1 20.0
SA 8.3 7.0
WA 4.8 10.8
TAS 17.9 2.0
NT 2.2 1.0
ACT 0.0 1.9


  • Around 88% of Logging Assistants live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Tasmania 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
49
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
6%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Logging Assistants is 49 years. This is higher than the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 45 to 54 years.

    Females make up 6% of the workforce. This is 42 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 Logging Assistants All Jobs Average
15-19 1.3 5.0
20-24 7.7 9.3
25-34 16.6 22.9
35-44 17.0 22.0
45-54 30.6 21.6
55-59 11.1 9.0
60-64 7.2 6.0
65 and Over 8.5 4.2
Median Age 49 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 Logging Assistant. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in forestry (harvesting and haulage) or horticulture.

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 Forest and Wood Products Industry 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 Logging Assistants All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 4.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 3.3 11.6
Certificate III/IV 26.6 21.1
Year 12 12.1 18.1
Year 11 10.3 4.8
Year 10 and below 43.0 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 Forestry and Logging Workers who are reliable, hardworking and physically fit.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 43%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 41%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 41%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 39%

    Monitoring

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

  • 37%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 36%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 36%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 36%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 36%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 36%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 34%

    Active listening

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

  • 34%

    Equipment selection

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

  • 34%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 32%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 30%

    Time management

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

  • 29%

    Active learning

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

  • 27%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 21%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 20%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 51%

    Mechanical

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

  • 39%

    Production and processing

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

  • 29%

    Education and training

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

  • 28%

    Administration and management

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

  • 27%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 24%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 21%

    Transportation

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

  • 21%

    Law and government

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

  • 20%

    Geography

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

  • 19%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 19%

    Biology

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

  • 18%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 14%

    Technical design

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

  • 13%

    Communications and media

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

  • 11%

    English language

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

  • 10%

    Physics

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

  • 10%

    Clerical

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

  • 10%

    Chemistry

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

  • 8%

    Sales and marketing

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 64%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 61%

    Reaction time

    Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.

  • 55%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 55%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 55%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 54%

    Control precision

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

  • 54%

    Speed of limb movement

    Quickly move the arms and legs.

  • 52%

    Auditory attention

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

  • 52%

    Depth perception

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

  • 48%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 48%

    Stamina

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

  • 46%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 46%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 46%

    Whole body coordination

    Move your arms, legs, and body together.

  • 45%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 43%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Near vision

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

  • 43%

    Rate control

    Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • 41%

    Colour discrimination

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

  • 39%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.


Activities

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

  • 92%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 88%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 73%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 67%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 64%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 56%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 56%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 54%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 54%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 46%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 42%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 41%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 39%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

  • 39%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 37%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 35%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 31%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 31%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 30%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 27%

    Coming up with systems and processes

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


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.

  • 29%

    Analytical

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

  • 29%

    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.
  • 81%

    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.

  • 57%

    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%

    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.

  • 43%

    Achievement

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

  • 29%

    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:
  • 99%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 99%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 98%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 97%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 96%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 92%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 88%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 86%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 85%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 85%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 84%

    Whole body vibration

    Be exposed to whole body vibration (e.g., operate a jackhammer).

  • 83%

    Bending or twisting your body

    Spend time bending or twisting your body.

  • 82%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 80%

    Walking and running

    Spend time walking and running.

  • 77%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

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

  • 76%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 75%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 74%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 73%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 69%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

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, 45-4021.00 - Fallers.


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