Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians

ANZSCO ID 3125

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
9,500
Future Growth
10.8%
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
88%
Female Share
5%
Average age
42

Summary

Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians assist in mechanical engineering research, design, manufacture, construction, operation and maintenance of machines, manufacturing equipment, mechanical installations and facilities.

Tasks

  • preparing drawings, plans and designs for mechanical engineering work under the direction of Mechanical Engineers and Engineering Technologists

  • assisting Mechanical Engineers and Engineering Technologists in the design of mechanical equipment and plant

  • selecting tools and equipment

  • assembling and installing new and modified mechanical assemblies, components, machine tools and controls, and hydraulic power systems

  • estimating material costs and quantities, and machine requirements

  • performing and directing field and laboratory tests

  • collecting and analysing data, carrying out complex computations and preparing diagrams

  • organising and supervising inspection and maintenance of machines and plant

  • ensuring that designs and finished work are within specifications, regulations and contract provisions

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
High skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
  • Administrative
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium
  • 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:

  • is expected to grow strongly
  • is likely to reach 7,200 by 2026.
  • 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
10.8%
(or 700 jobs)
From
6,500
in 2021
To
7,200
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 4,200
2012 8,100
2013 6,100
2014 4,900
2015 4,000
2016 5,200
2017 6,300
2018 4,900
2019 2,500
2020 5,100
2021 6,500
2026 7,200

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 89% of people employed as Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 23 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median hourly earnings are $48, this is more 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.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
35.6%
2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
26.7%
3
Wholesale Trade
13.3%
4
Other Services
8.9%
5
Other industries
15.6%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

23.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

26.6% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

20.2% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

7.2% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

19.3% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.7% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.5% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.0% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians All Jobs Average
NSW 23.7 31.6
VIC 26.6 25.6
QLD 20.2 20.0
SA 7.2 7.0
WA 19.3 10.8
TAS 1.7 2.0
NT 0.5 1.0
ACT 1.0 1.9


  • Around 67% of Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    Western Australia 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
42
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
5%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians is 42 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 5% of the workforce. This is 43 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 Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians All Jobs Average
15-19 0.5 5.0
20-24 5.2 9.3
25-34 23.8 22.9
35-44 26.7 22.0
45-54 23.5 21.6
55-59 9.0 9.0
60-64 7.1 6.0
65 and Over 4.2 4.2
Median Age 42 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 III, IV or diploma in mechanical engineering or another related field is usually needed to work as a Mechanical Engineering Draftsperson or Technician. Some workers have a university qualification.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Metal and Engineering 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 Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons, Technicians All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 3.9 10.1
Bachelor degree 15.4 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 32.1 11.6
Certificate III/IV 36.6 21.1
Year 12 8.4 18.1
Year 11 1.4 4.8
Year 10 and below 2.3 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 Mechanical Engineering Draftspersons and Technicians who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 57%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 52%

    Active learning

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

  • 52%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 50%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 48%

    Active listening

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

  • 48%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 46%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 46%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 46%

    Monitoring

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

  • 45%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 45%

    Operations analysis

    Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.

  • 45%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 45%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 43%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 43%

    Time management

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

  • 43%

    Systems evaluation

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

  • 41%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 41%

    Systems analysis

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

  • 39%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 36%

    Management of personnel resources

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 85%

    Technical design

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

  • 76%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 62%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 59%

    Mechanical

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

  • 56%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 50%

    English language

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

  • 46%

    Physics

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

  • 45%

    Production and processing

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

  • 44%

    Clerical

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

  • 41%

    Administration and management

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

  • 39%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 37%

    Education and training

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

  • 22%

    Building and construction

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

  • 22%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 22%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 21%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 21%

    Chemistry

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

  • 17%

    Communications and media

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

  • 15%

    Economics and accounting

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

  • 13%

    Telecommunications

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 63%

    Near vision

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

  • 59%

    Visualization

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

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 55%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 54%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 52%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 52%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 50%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 50%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 50%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 50%

    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.

  • 46%

    Originality

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

  • 46%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 46%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 45%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 45%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 45%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.


Activities

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

  • 74%

    Drafting, laying out, and specifying parts

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

  • 66%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 64%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 61%

    Working with computers

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

  • 60%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 59%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 58%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 55%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 53%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 52%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 50%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 46%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 46%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 42%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 42%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 40%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 39%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 39%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 38%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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

  • 36%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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


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%

    Practical

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

  • 57%

    Administrative

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

  • 57%

    Analytical

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

  • 48%

    Creative

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

  • 33%

    Enterprising

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

  • 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.
  • 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.

  • 64%

    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.

  • 62%

    Achievement

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

  • 62%

    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.

  • 62%

    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.

  • 52%

    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:
  • 95%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 94%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 94%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 92%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 92%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 87%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 85%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 83%

    Repeating same tasks

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

  • 78%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 75%

    Contact with people

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

  • 75%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 74%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 74%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 70%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 67%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 66%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 65%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

  • 62%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 62%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 60%

    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, 17-3013.00 - Mechanical Drafters.


Links and downloads

Back to top