Overview
All Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals
-
Unavailable Weekly Pay
-
Strong Future Growth
-
11,000 workers Employment Size
-
Very high skill Skill level rating
-
49% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
47 hours Average full-time
-
50 years Average age
-
57% female Gender Share
Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals create visual two- and three-dimensional concepts and forms through painting, drawing, carving, sculpting, modelling, printmaking, video, multimedia, found objects, ephemera, soundscapes and other media to communicate concepts and ideas.
You need a high level of skill in your artistic medium to work as a Visual Arts and Crafts Professional. While formal qualifications aren't essential, a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in fine art, creative art, craft or another related field may be useful.
Tasks
- conceiving and developing ideas, designs and styles for paintings, drawings, pottery pieces and sculptures
- arranging objects, positioning models, and selecting landscapes and other visual forms according to chosen subject matter
- selecting artistic media, method and materials
- applying media to surfaces using appropriate techniques
- moulding clay into functional and artistic articles by wheel-throwing, moulding and hand-building
- mixing glazing materials and applying glazes to dried pottery by dipping and painting
- placing finished and decorated pieces in kilns
- sketching designs of proposed sculptures, and making wax and plaster models
- devising forms from metal using welding and metalworking equipment, and from stone using masonry tools
- carving and forming materials to desired shape using hand and power tools
Prospects
The number of people working as Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals (in their main job) grew very strongly over 5 years:
from 8,700 in 2014 to 11,000 in 2019.
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 medium sized occupation.
- Location: Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals work in many regions of Australia.
- Industries: Most work in Arts and Recreation Services; Manufacturing; and Retail Trade.
- Full-time: Around half work full-time (49%, less than the average of 66%), showing there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 47 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 50 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (63%).
- Gender: 57% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Caution: The 2019 employment projections do not take account of any impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are therefore no longer reflective of current labour market conditions. As such, they should be used, and interpreted, with extreme caution. Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data to May 2019 and projections to 2024.
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 a high level of skill in your artistic medium to work as a Visual Arts and Crafts Professional. While formal qualifications aren't essential, a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in fine art, creative art, craft or another related field may be useful.
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 Creative Arts and Culture VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals who have strong interpersonal skills, can communicate well with diverse audiences and are reliable.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Fine arts
Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
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.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
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.
-
Economics and accounting
Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
History and archeology
Events of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Operations analysis
Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Management of financial resources
Figuring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Management of material resources
Providing the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Originality
Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
Visualization
Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
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.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government 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.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Influencing people
Convincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Managing payments and orders
Monitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
-
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.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

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, 27-1013.00 - Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators.
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.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Competition
Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Letters and memos
Write letters and memos.
-
Indoors, not heat controlled
Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
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.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

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, 27-1013.00 - Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators.
All Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals
-
Unavailable Weekly Pay
-
Strong Future Growth
-
11,000 workers Employment Size
-
Very high skill Skill level rating
-
49% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
47 hours Average full-time
-
50 years Average age
-
57% female Gender Share
Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals create visual two- and three-dimensional concepts and forms through painting, drawing, carving, sculpting, modelling, printmaking, video, multimedia, found objects, ephemera, soundscapes and other media to communicate concepts and ideas.
You need a high level of skill in your artistic medium to work as a Visual Arts and Crafts Professional. While formal qualifications aren't essential, a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in fine art, creative art, craft or another related field may be useful.
Tasks
- conceiving and developing ideas, designs and styles for paintings, drawings, pottery pieces and sculptures
- arranging objects, positioning models, and selecting landscapes and other visual forms according to chosen subject matter
- selecting artistic media, method and materials
- applying media to surfaces using appropriate techniques
- moulding clay into functional and artistic articles by wheel-throwing, moulding and hand-building
- mixing glazing materials and applying glazes to dried pottery by dipping and painting
- placing finished and decorated pieces in kilns
- sketching designs of proposed sculptures, and making wax and plaster models
- devising forms from metal using welding and metalworking equipment, and from stone using masonry tools
- carving and forming materials to desired shape using hand and power tools
The number of people working as Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals (in their main job) grew very strongly over 5 years:
from 8,700 in 2014 to 11,000 in 2019.
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 medium sized occupation.
- Location: Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals work in many regions of Australia.
- Industries: Most work in Arts and Recreation Services; Manufacturing; and Retail Trade.
- Full-time: Around half work full-time (49%, less than the average of 66%), showing there are many opportunities to work part-time.
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 47 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 50 years (compared to the average of 40 years). Many workers are 45 years or older (63%).
- Gender: 57% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Caution: The 2019 employment projections do not take account of any impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are therefore no longer reflective of current labour market conditions. As such, they should be used, and interpreted, with extreme caution. Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data to May 2019 and projections to 2024.
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 a high level of skill in your artistic medium to work as a Visual Arts and Crafts Professional. While formal qualifications aren't essential, a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in fine art, creative art, craft or another related field may be useful.
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 Creative Arts and Culture VET training pathways.
Employers look for Visual Arts and Crafts Professionals who have strong interpersonal skills, can communicate well with diverse audiences and are reliable.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Fine arts
Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
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.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Clerical
Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
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.
-
Economics and accounting
Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.
-
History and archeology
Events of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Operations analysis
Understanding needs and product requirements to create a design.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Management of financial resources
Figuring out how money is needed to do something, and keeping track of the money that's being spent.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Management of material resources
Providing the right equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do work.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Colour discrimination
Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.
-
Originality
Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.
-
Visualization
Imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
-
Brainstorming
Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
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.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government 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.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Influencing people
Convincing people to buy something or to change their minds or actions.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Managing payments and orders
Monitoring and controlling resources and the spending of money.
-
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.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Coming up with systems and processes
Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.

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, 27-1013.00 - Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators.
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.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Competition
Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Electronic mail
Use electronic mail.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Letters and memos
Write letters and memos.
-
Indoors, not heat controlled
Work indoors without heating or cooling (e.g., warehouse without heat).
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
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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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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.
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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.
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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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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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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.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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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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Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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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.
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Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

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, 27-1013.00 - Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators.