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Telecommunications Linesworkers

ANZSCO ID 342413

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Overview

Snapshot

Employed
1,800
Future Growth
N/A
Weekly Earnings
N/A
Full-Time Share
86%
Female Share
3%
Average age
40
About this data

Summary

Telecommunications Linesworkers install, maintain and repair external telecommunication equipment such as aerial lines, conduits and underground cables, radio and mobile phone antennae, and limited items of terminal equipment.

Specialisations: Operator Bearer Systems (Army).

Formal qualifications are not essential to work as a Telecommunications Linesworker. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in telecommunications technology.

Tasks

  • Installs cabling for telephone, radio, pay tv and computer transmission.

  • Joins cables and seals sheaths with lead and thermoplastic.

  • Erects, tests and maintains aerial and underground wires and cables, and radio and mobile phone antennae.

  • Installs telecommunications equipment and appliances such as telephones, switchboards and data transmission equipment.

Characteristics

Job Type
Technicians And Trades Workers
Skill Level
Medium skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
3424 Telecommunications Trades Workers
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, Telecommunications Trades Workers, under the outlook section.

Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 86% of people employed as Telecommunications Linesworkers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 20 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 44 hours per week in their main job. This is the same as the all jobs average.

    Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.

Industries

Main industries

1
Information Media and Telecommunications
56.6%
2
Construction
24.1%
3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
4.4%
4
Manufacturing
0.9%
5
Other industries
4.9%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

28.3% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

24.9% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

19.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

8.6% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

11.9% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

4.6% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

1.1% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.7% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Telecommunications Linesworkers All Jobs Average
NSW 28.3 31.6
VIC 24.9 25.6
QLD 19.0 20.0
SA 8.6 7.0
WA 11.9 10.8
TAS 4.6 2.0
NT 1.1 1.0
ACT 1.7 1.9


  • Around 41% of Telecommunications Linesworkers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.

    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
40
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
3%
All Jobs Average is 48%

  • The median age of Telecommunications Linesworkers is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 3% of the workforce. This is 45 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 Telecommunications Linesworkers All Jobs Average
15-19 3.6 5.0
20-24 12.8 9.3
25-34 23.5 22.9
35-44 18.6 22.0
45-54 22.2 21.6
55-59 10.9 9.0
60-64 6.1 6.0
65 and Over 2.3 4.2
Median Age 40 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 Telecommunications Linesworker. Although some workers have a certificate II or III in telecommunications technology.

Visit

  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Information and Communications Technology 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 Telecommunications Linesworkers All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 1.5 10.1
Bachelor degree 4.8 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 5.7 11.6
Certificate III/IV 46.6 21.1
Year 12 16.8 18.1
Year 11 7.3 4.8
Year 10 and below 17.3 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 Telecommunications Trades Workers who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

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

  • 45%

    Troubleshooting

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

  • 43%

    Active listening

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

  • 43%

    Complex problem solving

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

  • 43%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

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

  • 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%

    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%

    Monitoring

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

  • 41%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 41%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 41%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 39%

    Equipment maintenance

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

  • 39%

    Repairing

    Fixing machines or systems.

  • 39%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 39%

    Time management

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

  • 37%

    Active learning

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

  • 27%

    Installation

    Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs.

Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 79%

    Telecommunications

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

  • 62%

    Customer and personal service

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

  • 57%

    Computers and electronics

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

  • 54%

    English language

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

  • 52%

    Public safety and security

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

  • 51%

    Education and training

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

  • 50%

    Mechanical

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

  • 43%

    Technical design

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

  • 42%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 40%

    Communications and media

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

  • 40%

    Engineering and technology

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

  • 39%

    Administration and management

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

  • 38%

    Production and processing

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

  • 36%

    Building and construction

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

  • 34%

    Transportation

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

  • 33%

    Sales and marketing

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

  • 27%

    Clerical

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

  • 25%

    Personnel and human resources

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

  • 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.

  • 16%

    Law and government

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

Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 54%

    Extent flexibility

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

  • 52%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 52%

    Control precision

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

  • 50%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 48%

    Multilimb coordination

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

  • 48%

    Near vision

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

  • 45%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 45%

    Manual dexterity

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

  • 43%

    Problem spotting

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

  • 43%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 43%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 43%

    Flexibility of closure

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

  • 43%

    Inductive reasoning

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

  • 43%

    Perceptual speed

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

  • 43%

    Static strength

    Lift, push, pull, or carry things.

  • 41%

    Far vision

    See details that are far away.

  • 41%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 41%

    Sorting or ordering

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

  • 41%

    Trunk strength

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

  • 39%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

Activities

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

  • 82%

    Doing physically active work

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

  • 68%

    Handling and moving objects

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

  • 62%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

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

  • 61%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

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

  • 57%

    Planning and prioritising work

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

  • 53%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 52%

    Thinking creatively

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

  • 51%

    Making decisions and solving problems

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

  • 49%

    Communicating within a team

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

  • 49%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 48%

    Checking for errors or defects

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

  • 48%

    Communicating with the public

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

  • 48%

    Looking for changes over time

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

  • 46%

    Driving vehicles or equipment

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

  • 44%

    Collecting and organising information

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

  • 44%

    Documenting or recording information

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

  • 44%

    Training and teaching others

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

  • 44%

    Making sense of information and ideas

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

  • 41%

    Working with computers

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

  • 39%

    Checking compliance with standards

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

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.

  • 43%

    Enterprising

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

  • 38%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 71%

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 52%

    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.

  • 33%

    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:

  • 97%

    Outdoors, exposed to weather

    Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.

  • 96%

    In an enclosed vehicle or equipment

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

  • 96%

    Contact with people

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

  • 95%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

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

  • 94%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 92%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

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

  • 91%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 90%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 89%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 88%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 86%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 84%

    Unstructured work

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

  • 83%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 83%

    Dangerous equipment

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

  • 82%

    Very hot or cold temperatures

    Work in very hot or cold temperatures.

  • 81%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 80%

    Indoors, not heat controlled

    Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).

  • 80%

    Work at heights

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

  • 80%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 78%

    Spend time standing

    Spend time standing at 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, 49-9052.00 - Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers.

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