Structural Steel Construction Workers

ANZSCO ID 8217

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
19,300
Future Growth
-6.9%
Weekly Earnings
$1,750
Full-Time Share
82%
Female Share
1%
Average age
35

Summary

Structural Steel Construction Workers assemble rigging gear to move and position equipment and structural components, erect scaffolding, position and secure steel reinforcing in concrete forms, and erect and dismantle structural steel frames.

Tasks

  • erecting lifting tackles by attaching pulleys and blocks to fixed overhead structures, and installing cables and attaching counterweights

  • attaching slinging gear to hoisting equipment and objects to be moved using clamps, hooks, bolts and knots

  • fitting and bolting tubes, support braces and components to form bases and build up scaffolding

  • lifting and positioning sections of scaffolding

  • measuring, cutting, bending and fitting welded wire mesh into concrete areas to be mesh-reinforced

  • fixing mesh and reinforcing steel into position in formwork for concrete pours

  • setting up winches and rigging equipment to raise and position girders, plates, columns and other steel units

  • erecting guard rails, guy wires, ropes and clears, laying planks and hanging safety nets

Characteristics

Job Type
Labourers
Skill Level
Lower skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Practical
Physical Demand
  • Medium
  • Heavy
  • Very 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 decline
  • is likely to reach 14,400 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
-6.9%
(or -1,100 jobs)
From
15,500
in 2021
To
14,400
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 23,800
2012 26,100
2013 19,800
2014 26,200
2015 29,700
2016 21,500
2017 23,600
2018 27,000
2019 24,200
2020 23,700
2021 15,500
2026 14,400

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

  • Around 85% of people employed as Structural Steel Construction Workers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 19 percentage points above 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).

    More than a third of workers regularly work overtime or extra hours (either paid or unpaid).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,750 per week, this is higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,581
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $2,302

    Median hourly earnings are $42, this is similar to 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. Overtime hours: ABS, Characteristics of Employment, 2021. 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)

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.
Earnings Structural Steel Construction Workers All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,750 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

1
Construction
69.2%
2
Mining
10.4%
3
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
6.5%
4
Manufacturing
4.0%
5
Other industries
10.0%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

26.7% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

18.7% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

24.1% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

5.0% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

21.6% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

0.9% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

2.3% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

0.7% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Structural Steel Construction Workers All Jobs Average
NSW 26.7 31.6
VIC 18.7 25.6
QLD 24.1 20.0
SA 5.0 7.0
WA 21.6 10.8
TAS 0.9 2.0
NT 2.3 1.0
ACT 0.7 1.9


  • Around 46% of Structural Steel Construction Workers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    Western Australia and Queensland have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The region with the largest share of workers is Latrobe - Gippsland.

    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
35
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
1%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Structural Steel Construction Workers is 35 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 1% of the workforce. This is 47 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 Structural Steel Construction Workers All Jobs Average
15-19 2.3 5.0
20-24 11.7 9.3
25-34 35.5 22.9
35-44 25.4 22.0
45-54 16.8 21.6
55-59 5.2 9.0
60-64 2.3 6.0
65 and Over 0.8 4.2
Median Age 35 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 Structural Steel Construction Worker. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in steelfixing, rigging of scaffolding.

Visit

  • 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 Structural Steel Construction Workers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 0.2 10.1
Bachelor degree 2.5 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 3.5 11.6
Certificate III/IV 39.5 21.1
Year 12 21.6 18.1
Year 11 8.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 24.0 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 Structural Steel Construction Workers who are motivated and hardworking.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 48%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 43%

    Operation and control

    Controlling equipment or systems.

  • 43%

    Operation monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Active learning

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

  • 43%

    Active listening

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

  • 43%

    Learning strategies

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

  • 43%

    Monitoring

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

  • 43%

    Quality control analysis

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

  • 43%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 41%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 41%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 41%

    Time management

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

  • 39%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 39%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 34%

    Management of personnel resources

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

  • 34%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 32%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 30%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 27%

    Troubleshooting

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


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 88%

    Building and construction

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

  • 54%

    Mechanical

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

  • 53%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 47%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 44%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 43%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 41%

    English language

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

  • 40%

    Education and training

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

  • 39%

    Administration and management

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

  • 36%

    Technical design

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

  • 31%

    Transportation

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

  • 30%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 27%

    Physics

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

  • 26%

    Psychology

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

  • 25%

    Production and processing

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

  • 22%

    Chemistry

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

  • 15%

    Clerical

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

  • 12%

    Communications and media

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

  • 11%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 10%

    Medicine and dentistry

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


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 64%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 57%

    Control precision

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

  • 57%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 55%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 55%

    Balance

    Keep your balance or stay upright.

  • 55%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 55%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 55%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 55%

    Visualization

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

  • 55%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 55%

    Reaction time

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

  • 54%

    Depth perception

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

  • 54%

    Near vision

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

  • 54%

    Dynamic strength

    Exercise for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • 54%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 52%

    Auditory attention

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

  • 45%

    Rate control

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

  • 45%

    Stamina

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

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 43%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.


Activities

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

  • 90%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 80%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 65%

    Controlling equipment or machines

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

  • 59%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 57%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 57%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 57%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 55%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 54%

    Coordinating the work of a team

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

  • 52%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 51%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 50%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

  • 49%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 46%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 46%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 45%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 45%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 43%

    Assessing and evaluating things

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

  • 42%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

  • 40%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

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


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.

  • 43%

    Administrative

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

  • 43%

    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.

  • 19%

    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.
  • 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.

  • 67%

    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.

  • 45%

    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.

  • 43%

    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.

  • 38%

    Achievement

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

  • 38%

    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:
  • 100%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 96%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

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

  • 96%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 95%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 93%

    Work at heights

    Work in high places (e.g., on poles, scaffolding, catwalks, or ladders).

  • 92%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at work.

  • 91%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 89%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 89%

    Wear specialized protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection.

  • 88%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 88%

    Contact with people

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

  • 87%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 87%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 86%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 86%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 85%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 84%

    Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings

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

  • 83%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 81%

    Bright or inadequate lighting

    Work in extremely bright or dark lighting conditions.

  • 81%

    Responsible for outcomes

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

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, 47-2221.00 - Structural Iron and Steel Workers.


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