Outdoor Adventure Guides
Overview
Snapshot
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
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meeting members of a tour on arrival and making introductions
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organising and supervising groups involved in outdoor adventures such as bungy jumping, fishing and hunting, mountaineering, trekking and whitewater rafting
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setting up and maintaining equipment, and ensuring that equipment is safe and in working condition
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demonstrating and providing instruction in the use of equipment and techniques required for participation
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providing advice on safety measures, and ensuring that activities are conducted in a manner to minimise risk to participants
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responding to emergencies by providing first aid assistance and taking appropriate further action if required
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answering questions and advising on local interest points within a specific region
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may maintain written reports of daily activities and carry out other administrative work
Characteristics
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Administrative
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Enterprising
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Helping
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Light
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Medium
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Heavy
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Very Heavy
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.
Number of Workers
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
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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)
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
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Outdoor Adventure Guides work in industries like:
- Arts and recreation services
- Education and training
- Transport, postal and warehousing
- Health care and social assistance.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2021.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
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 |
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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
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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)
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)
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.
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57%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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50%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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50%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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50%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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50%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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48%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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48%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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48%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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46%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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46%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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46%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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45%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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45%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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45%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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45%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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43%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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41%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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39%
Systems analysisFiguring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.
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37%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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36%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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75%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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71%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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66%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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64%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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58%
GeographyDescribing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
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50%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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49%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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45%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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45%
History and archeologyEvents of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
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43%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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42%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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39%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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38%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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38%
Philosophy and theologyPhilosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.
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38%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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36%
Economics and accountingEconomics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
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34%
Fine artsCompose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
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31%
Production and processingRaw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
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30%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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23%
Foreign languageForeign (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..
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63%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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61%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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59%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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59%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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52%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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48%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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48%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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48%
BrainstormingCome up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
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48%
OriginalityCome up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
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46%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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46%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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46%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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45%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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45%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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45%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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43%
MultitaskingDo two or more things at the same time.
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41%
Working with numbersAdd, subtract, multiply, or divide.
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38%
Selective attentionPay attention to something without being distracted.
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36%
Flexibility of closureSee a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
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36%
Perceptual speedUse 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.
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76%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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67%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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66%
Influencing peopleConvincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
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65%
Communicating with the publicGiving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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64%
Working with the publicGreeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
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59%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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55%
Guiding and directing staffGuiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
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55%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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53%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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53%
Thinking creativelyUsing your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
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51%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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48%
Collecting and organising informationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
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47%
Keeping your knowledge up-to-dateKeeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
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46%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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43%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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41%
Scheduling work and activitiesWorking out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
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41%
Working with computersUsing computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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40%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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39%
Providing office supportDoing day-to-day office work such as filing and processing paperwork.
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31%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking 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%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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81%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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57%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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43%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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38%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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29%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
Values
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71%
IndependenceWork 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.
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71%
RelationshipsServe 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%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
45%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
43%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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38%
RecognitionAdvancement 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
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96%
Contact with the publicWork with customers or the public.
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93%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
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93%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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91%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
-
90%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
90%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
87%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
87%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
86%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
84%
Freedom to make decisionsHave freedom to make decision on your own.
-
83%
Electronic mailUse electronic mail.
-
82%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
76%
Consequence of errorWork where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
75%
Spend time sittingSpend time sitting at work.
-
75%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
-
75%
CompetitionCompete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
74%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
-
66%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
62%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
-
61%
Responsible for outcomesTake responsibility for the results of other people's work.
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.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.