Logging Plant Operators

ANZSCO ID 721112

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,300
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
95%
Female Share
2%
Average age
41

Summary

Logging Plant Operators operate plants to fell trees and drag, transport and load logs onto trucks.

Specialisations: Forwarder Operator, Skidder Operator, Tree Feller Operator.

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Logging Plant Operator. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in harvesting and haulage.

Tasks

  • Prepares and positions plant for operation.

  • Operates plant to hold, lift and cut trees.

  • Operates attachments to lift, swing, release and sort trees and logs, and operates auxiliary plants such as chipping machines and log splitting machines.

  • Feeds felled trees into processors to strip limbs and cut into logs and load logs onto stockpiles and into trucks.

  • Keeps log tallies and writes work reports.

  • Services plant and performs minor repairs.

Characteristics

Job Type
Machinery Operators And Drivers
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
  • 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, Agricultural, Forestry & Horticultural Operators, under the outlook section.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 95% of people employed as Logging Plant Operators work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 29 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 53 hours per week in their main job. This is 9 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
69.0%
2
Construction
8.7%
3
Manufacturing
6.7%
4
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
3.8%
5
Other industries
8.0%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

20.8% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

20.9% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

17.3% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

14.0% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

11.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

14.2% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.6% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.3% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Logging Plant Operators All Jobs Average
NSW 20.8 31.6
VIC 20.9 25.6
QLD 17.3 20.0
SA 14.0 7.0
WA 11.9 10.8
TAS 14.2 2.0
NT 0.6 1.0
ACT 0.3 1.9


  • Around 93% of Logging Plant Operators live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Tasmania and South Australia have a large share of employment relative to their 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
41
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
2%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Logging Plant Operators 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 2% of the workforce. This is 46 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 Plant Operators All Jobs Average
15-19 1.7 5.0
20-24 10.1 9.3
25-34 23.2 22.9
35-44 24.1 22.0
45-54 23.8 21.6
55-59 9.5 9.0
60-64 4.5 6.0
65 and Over 3.1 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 Logging Plant Operator. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in harvesting and haulage.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation & Land Management 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 Plant Operators All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.0 10.1
Bachelor degree 1.2 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 1.4 11.6
Certificate III/IV 32.5 21.1
Year 12 12.0 18.1
Year 11 9.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 43.5 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 Agricultural, Forestry & Horticultural Operators who are trustworthy and responsible, can communicate with a variety of people and have good team work skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 55%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 50%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 46%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 43%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 43%

    Monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 39%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 39%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 37%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 36%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 36%

    Time management

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

  • 34%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 32%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 32%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 32%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 30%

    Active listening

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

  • 30%

    Active learning

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

  • 29%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 29%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 27%

    Equipment selection

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 63%

    Mechanical

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

  • 40%

    Administration and management

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

  • 34%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 33%

    Transportation

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

  • 32%

    Production and processing

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

  • 30%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 24%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 20%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 20%

    Building and construction

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

  • 19%

    Education and training

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

  • 18%

    English language

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

  • 18%

    Law and government

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

  • 17%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 15%

    Geography

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

  • 15%

    Clerical

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

  • 14%

    Chemistry

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

  • 13%

    Technical design

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

  • 11%

    Biology

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

  • 10%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 9%

    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..

  • 63%

    Reaction time

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

  • 59%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 57%

    Control precision

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

  • 54%

    Depth perception

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

  • 54%

    Response orientation

    Quickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).

  • 54%

    Auditory attention

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

  • 50%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 45%

    Rate control

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

  • 43%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 43%

    Visualization

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

  • 41%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 41%

    Near vision

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

  • 39%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 39%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 38%

    Spatial orientation

    Know where things are around you.

  • 36%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 36%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 36%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 34%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 34%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

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

  • 69%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 63%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 58%

    Working with mechanical equipment

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

  • 58%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 54%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 53%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 52%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 50%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 49%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 48%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 44%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 44%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 44%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 42%

    Helping and caring for others

    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.

  • 40%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 40%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 37%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 37%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 36%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 35%

    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.

  • 52%

    Administrative

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

  • 52%

    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.
  • 86%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 33%

    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:
  • 96%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 94%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 94%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 92%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 92%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 92%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 91%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 89%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 89%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 87%

    In an open vehicle or equipment

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

  • 86%

    Whole body vibration

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

  • 86%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 82%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 80%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 80%

    Consequence of error

    Work where mistakes have serious consequences.

  • 80%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 79%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 78%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 73%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 70%

    Contact with people

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

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, 45-4022.00 - Logging Equipment Operators.


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