Overview
All Painting Trades Workers
-
$1,371 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
-
39,800 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
76% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
43 hours Average full-time
-
42 years Average age
-
4% female Gender Share
Painting Trades Workers apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate surfaces of buildings and structures.
Specialisations: Paperhanger.
You can work as a Painting Trades Worker without formal qualifications if you are able to demonstrate your technical competency to employers. However, a certificate III in painting and decorating is usually required. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.
Tasks
- erecting scaffolding and ladders, and placing drop sheets to protect adjacent areas from paint splattering
- preparing surfaces by removing old paint and wallpaper, fixing woodwork, filling holes and cracks, and smoothing and sealing surfaces
- selecting and preparing paints to required colours by mixing portions of pigment, oil, and thinning and drying additives
- applying paints, varnishes and stains to surfaces using brushes, rollers and sprays
- hanging wallpaper, matching patterns and trimming edges
- cleaning equipment and work areas
- may repair windows and replace glass in wooden and metal frames
- may lay and repair wall and floor tiles
Prospects
There were 39,800 Painting Trades Workers in 2020. The number of workers:
- fell over the past 5 years
- is expected to stay about the same over the next five years
- is likely to reach 40,900 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. 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 Snapshot
- Size: This is a large occupation.
- Location: Painting Trades Workers work in many regions of Australia.
- Industries: Most work in the Construction industry.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,371 per week (similar to the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (76%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 43 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 42 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 4% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, 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.
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 Painting Trades Worker without formal qualifications if you are able to demonstrate your technical competency to employers. However, a certificate III in painting and decorating is usually required. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.
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 Construction, Plumbing and Services VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Painting Trades Workers who are reliable, work well in a team and are hard working.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Foreign language
Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
-
Economics and accounting
Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
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.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Trunk strength
Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
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.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
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.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Whole body coordination
Move your arms, legs, and body together.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Stamina
Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Negotiating and resolving conflicts
Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Explaining things to people
Helping people to understand and use information.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Leading and encouraging a team
Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

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, 47-2141.00 - Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
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.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
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.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles
Spend time climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
-
Responsible for outcomes
Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without 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.
-
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, 47-2141.00 - Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
All Painting Trades Workers
-
$1,371 Weekly Pay
-
Stable Future Growth
-
39,800 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
76% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
43 hours Average full-time
-
42 years Average age
-
4% female Gender Share
Painting Trades Workers apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other finishes to protect, maintain and decorate surfaces of buildings and structures.
Specialisations: Paperhanger.
You can work as a Painting Trades Worker without formal qualifications if you are able to demonstrate your technical competency to employers. However, a certificate III in painting and decorating is usually required. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.
Tasks
- erecting scaffolding and ladders, and placing drop sheets to protect adjacent areas from paint splattering
- preparing surfaces by removing old paint and wallpaper, fixing woodwork, filling holes and cracks, and smoothing and sealing surfaces
- selecting and preparing paints to required colours by mixing portions of pigment, oil, and thinning and drying additives
- applying paints, varnishes and stains to surfaces using brushes, rollers and sprays
- hanging wallpaper, matching patterns and trimming edges
- cleaning equipment and work areas
- may repair windows and replace glass in wooden and metal frames
- may lay and repair wall and floor tiles
There were 39,800 Painting Trades Workers in 2020. The number of workers:
- fell over the past 5 years
- is expected to stay about the same over the next five years
- is likely to reach 40,900 by 2025.
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025. 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 Snapshot
- Size: This is a large occupation.
- Location: Painting Trades Workers work in many regions of Australia.
- Industries: Most work in the Construction industry.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $1,371 per week (similar to the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (76%, higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 43 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 42 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 4% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2020 and National Skills Commission Employment Projections to 2025.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, 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.
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 Painting Trades Worker without formal qualifications if you are able to demonstrate your technical competency to employers. However, a certificate III in painting and decorating is usually required. This course is often completed as part of an apprenticeship.
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 Construction, Plumbing and Services VET training pathways.
Employers look for Painting Trades Workers who are reliable, work well in a team and are hard working.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Customer and personal service
Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Foreign language
Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
-
Economics and accounting
Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
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.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Trunk strength
Use your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
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.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
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.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Whole body coordination
Move your arms, legs, and body together.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Stamina
Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Guiding and directing staff
Guiding and directing staff, including setting and monitoring performance standards.
-
Negotiating and resolving conflicts
Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Explaining things to people
Helping people to understand and use information.
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Leading and encouraging a team
Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

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, 47-2141.00 - Painters, Construction and Maintenance.
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.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
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.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles
Spend time climbing ladders, scaffolds, or poles.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Lead or coordinate a team
Lead others to do work activities.
-
Responsible for outcomes
Take responsibility for the results of other people's work.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact 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.
-
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.
-
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.
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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.
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Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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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.
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Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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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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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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Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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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, 47-2141.00 - Painters, Construction and Maintenance.