Overview
All Deck and Fishing Hands
-
Unavailable Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
Deck Hands
-
2,700 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
78% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
58 hours Average full-time
-
39 years Average age
-
12% female Gender Share
Deck Hands perform maintenance and lookout tasks aboard ships.
Specialisations: Barge Hand, Ferry Hand, Tug Hand.
You can work as a Deck Hand without formal qualifications, however, a certificate I, II or III in maritime operations or aquaculture may be useful.
Tasks
- Handles ropes and wires, and operates mooring equipment when berthing and unberthing.
- Stands lookout watches at sea and adjusts the ship's course as directed.
- Assists with cargo operations using on-board equipment and stows and secures cargo.
- Patrols ships to ensure safety of the vessel, cargo and passengers.
- Performs routine maintenance and checks on deck equipment, cargo gear, rigging, and lifesaving and fire fighting appliances.
Prospects
The number of people working as Deck Hands (in their main job) fell over 5 years:
from 3,100 in 2011 to 2,700 in 2016.
Caution: The Australian jobs market is changing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 extreme caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Deck Hands work in many parts of Australia. Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania have a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Transport, Postal and Warehousing; Mining; and Public Administration and Safety.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (78%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 58 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 39 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 12% 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 can work as a Deck Hand without formal qualifications, however, a certificate I, II or III in maritime operations or aquaculture may be useful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Seafood Industry VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Deck and Fishing Hands who are fit, reliable and willing to take direction.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
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.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Geography
Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
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.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Repairing
Fixing machines or systems.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
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.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Equipment selection
Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Auditory attention
Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Hearing sensitivity
Tell the difference between sounds.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Perceptual speed
Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Balance
Keep your balance or stay upright.
-
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.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Collecting and organising information
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Making sense of information and ideas
Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

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, 53-5011.00 - Sailors and Marine Oilers.
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.
-
Outdoors, exposed to weather
Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Very hot or cold temperatures
Work in very hot or cold temperatures.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Consequence of error
Work where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Responsible for outcomes
Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings
Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Walking and running
Spend time walking and running.
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.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
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, 53-5011.00 - Sailors and Marine Oilers.
All Deck and Fishing Hands
-
Unavailable Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
Deck Hands
-
2,700 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
78% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
58 hours Average full-time
-
39 years Average age
-
12% female Gender Share
Deck Hands perform maintenance and lookout tasks aboard ships.
Specialisations: Barge Hand, Ferry Hand, Tug Hand.
You can work as a Deck Hand without formal qualifications, however, a certificate I, II or III in maritime operations or aquaculture may be useful.
Tasks
- Handles ropes and wires, and operates mooring equipment when berthing and unberthing.
- Stands lookout watches at sea and adjusts the ship's course as directed.
- Assists with cargo operations using on-board equipment and stows and secures cargo.
- Patrols ships to ensure safety of the vessel, cargo and passengers.
- Performs routine maintenance and checks on deck equipment, cargo gear, rigging, and lifesaving and fire fighting appliances.
The number of people working as Deck Hands (in their main job) fell over 5 years:
from 3,100 in 2011 to 2,700 in 2016.
Caution: The Australian jobs market is changing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 extreme caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Deck Hands work in many parts of Australia. Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania have a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Transport, Postal and Warehousing; Mining; and Public Administration and Safety.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (78%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 58 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 39 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 12% 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 can work as a Deck Hand without formal qualifications, however, a certificate I, II or III in maritime operations or aquaculture may be useful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Seafood Industry VET training pathways.
Employers look for Deck and Fishing Hands who are fit, reliable and willing to take direction.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
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.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Geography
Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
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.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Repairing
Fixing machines or systems.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
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.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Equipment selection
Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Auditory attention
Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Hearing sensitivity
Tell the difference between sounds.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Perceptual speed
Use your eyes to quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Balance
Keep your balance or stay upright.
-
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.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Collecting and organising information
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Making sense of information and ideas
Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

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, 53-5011.00 - Sailors and Marine Oilers.
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.
-
Outdoors, exposed to weather
Work outdoors, exposed to the weather.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Very hot or cold temperatures
Work in very hot or cold temperatures.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Consequence of error
Work where mistakes have serious consequences.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Responsible for outcomes
Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings
Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Walking and running
Spend time walking and running.
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.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
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, 53-5011.00 - Sailors and Marine Oilers.