Overview
All Science Technicians
-
$1,500 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
Chemistry Technicians
-
3,900 workers Employment Size
-
High skill Skill level rating
-
79% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
42 hours Average full-time
-
40 years Average age
-
54% female Gender Share
Chemistry Technicians perform laboratory tests on organic and inorganic chemicals, analyse test data and carry out technical functions in support of Chemists or Chemical Engineers in a wide variety of areas such as fuels, agricultural products, food, pharmaceuticals, paints, metals, plastics, textiles, detergents, paper, fertilisers and cosmetics.
Also known as: Chemistry Technical Officer.
Specialisations: Chemical Instrumentation Officer, Chemical Process Analyst, Chemistry Laboratory Technician, Dairy Laboratory Technician, Petroleum Laboratory Technician, Sugar Laboratory Assistant.
You need extensive experience, or a formal qualification in chemistry, laboratory skills, laboratory technology or another related field to work as a Chemistry Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Tasks
- Prepares materials for experimentation, including freezing and slicing specimens and mixing chemicals.
- Collects information and samples.
- Conducts field and laboratory experiments, tests and analyses.
- Presents results in graphic or written form by preparing maps charts, sketches, diagrams and reports.
- Performs routine mathematical calculations and computations of measurement.
- Controls the quality and quantity of laboratory supplies by testing samples and monitoring usage.
- Checks, calibrates and maintains test equipment.
- Participates in fabricating, installing and modifying equipment to ensure that critical standards are met.
Prospects
The number of Chemistry Technicians fell over 5 years:
from 4,300 in 2011 to 3,900 in 2016.
Caution: These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Chemistry Technicians work in many parts of Australia. Victoria has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Manufacturing; Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; and Education and Training.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (79%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 42 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 40 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 54% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
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.
Pathways
You need extensive experience, or a formal qualification in chemistry, laboratory skills, laboratory technology or another related field to work as a Chemistry Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. 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 Laboratory Operations, Food Processing and Australian Meat Processing VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Science Technicians who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Food production
Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Written expression
Write in a way that people can understand.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Collecting and organising information
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Making sense of information and ideas
Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Working with computers
Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

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, 19-4031.00 - Chemical Technicians.
Work Environment
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.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Repeating same tasks
Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Dangerous conditions
Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
-
Consequence of error
Work where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
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.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

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, 19-4031.00 - Chemical Technicians.
All Science Technicians
-
$1,500 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
Chemistry Technicians
-
3,900 workers Employment Size
-
High skill Skill level rating
-
79% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
42 hours Average full-time
-
40 years Average age
-
54% female Gender Share
Chemistry Technicians perform laboratory tests on organic and inorganic chemicals, analyse test data and carry out technical functions in support of Chemists or Chemical Engineers in a wide variety of areas such as fuels, agricultural products, food, pharmaceuticals, paints, metals, plastics, textiles, detergents, paper, fertilisers and cosmetics.
Also known as: Chemistry Technical Officer.
Specialisations: Chemical Instrumentation Officer, Chemical Process Analyst, Chemistry Laboratory Technician, Dairy Laboratory Technician, Petroleum Laboratory Technician, Sugar Laboratory Assistant.
You need extensive experience, or a formal qualification in chemistry, laboratory skills, laboratory technology or another related field to work as a Chemistry Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Tasks
- Prepares materials for experimentation, including freezing and slicing specimens and mixing chemicals.
- Collects information and samples.
- Conducts field and laboratory experiments, tests and analyses.
- Presents results in graphic or written form by preparing maps charts, sketches, diagrams and reports.
- Performs routine mathematical calculations and computations of measurement.
- Controls the quality and quantity of laboratory supplies by testing samples and monitoring usage.
- Checks, calibrates and maintains test equipment.
- Participates in fabricating, installing and modifying equipment to ensure that critical standards are met.
The number of Chemistry Technicians fell over 5 years:
from 4,300 in 2011 to 3,900 in 2016.
Caution: These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Chemistry Technicians work in many parts of Australia. Victoria has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Manufacturing; Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; and Education and Training.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (79%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 42 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 40 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 54% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
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.
You need extensive experience, or a formal qualification in chemistry, laboratory skills, laboratory technology or another related field to work as a Chemistry Technician. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. 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 Laboratory Operations, Food Processing and Australian Meat Processing VET training pathways.
Employers look for Science Technicians who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Food production
Planting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Written expression
Write in a way that people can understand.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Collecting and organising information
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Making sense of information and ideas
Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Working with computers
Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

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, 19-4031.00 - Chemical Technicians.
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.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Repeating same tasks
Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Dangerous conditions
Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
-
Consequence of error
Work where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
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.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

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, 19-4031.00 - Chemical Technicians.