Overview
All Animal Attendants and Trainers
-
$986 Weekly Pay
-
Moderate Future Growth
Zookeepers
-
1,200 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
69% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
42 hours Average full-time
-
31 years Average age
-
63% female Gender Share
Zookeepers feed, provide water for and monitor the health of animals in zoos, aquaria and wildlife parks, clean, fix and maintain animal cages, and inform visitors about animals.
Specialisations: Aquarist.
You usually need a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in animal science, captive animals or another related field to work as a Zookeeper.
Tasks
- Prepares, cleans, disinfects and maintains comfortable cages and enclosures.
- Transports food, fills water troughs and feeds animals according to their individual needs.
- Maintains animal health records, treats minor injuries and reports serious conditions to veterinarians.
- Exercises and plays with animals, answers visitor questions and transfers animals between enclosures by leading or carrying them.
- Dusts and sprays insecticides on animals and immerses them in insecticide baths to control insect pests.
Prospects
The number of Zookeepers grew very strongly over 5 years:
from 1,000 in 2011 to 1,200 in 2016.
Caution: These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Zookeepers work in many parts of Australia. Queensland has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Arts and Recreation Services; Public Administration and Safety; and Other Services.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (69%, similar to the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 42 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 31 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 63% 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 usually need a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in animal science, captive animals or another related field to work as a Zookeeper.
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 Animal Care and Management VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Animal Attendants and Trainers who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
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.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
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.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Stamina
Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
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.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

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, 39-2021.00 - Nonfarm Animal Caretakers.
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.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Repeating same tasks
Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings
Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
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.

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, 39-2021.00 - Nonfarm Animal Caretakers.
All Animal Attendants and Trainers
-
$986 Weekly Pay
-
Moderate Future Growth
Zookeepers
-
1,200 workers Employment Size
-
Medium skill Skill level rating
-
69% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
42 hours Average full-time
-
31 years Average age
-
63% female Gender Share
Zookeepers feed, provide water for and monitor the health of animals in zoos, aquaria and wildlife parks, clean, fix and maintain animal cages, and inform visitors about animals.
Specialisations: Aquarist.
You usually need a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in animal science, captive animals or another related field to work as a Zookeeper.
Tasks
- Prepares, cleans, disinfects and maintains comfortable cages and enclosures.
- Transports food, fills water troughs and feeds animals according to their individual needs.
- Maintains animal health records, treats minor injuries and reports serious conditions to veterinarians.
- Exercises and plays with animals, answers visitor questions and transfers animals between enclosures by leading or carrying them.
- Dusts and sprays insecticides on animals and immerses them in insecticide baths to control insect pests.
The number of Zookeepers grew very strongly over 5 years:
from 1,000 in 2011 to 1,200 in 2016.
Caution: These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with caution.
- Size: This is a very small occupation.
- Location: Zookeepers work in many parts of Australia. Queensland has a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Arts and Recreation Services; Public Administration and Safety; and Other Services.
- Full-time: Many work full-time (69%, similar to the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 42 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 31 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 63% 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 usually need a university or Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification in animal science, captive animals or another related field to work as a Zookeeper.
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 Animal Care and Management VET training pathways.
Employers look for Animal Attendants and Trainers who are reliable, work well in a team and have a strong work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Biology
Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
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.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Sales and marketing
Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Communications and media
Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Reading comprehension
Reading work related information.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
-
Writing
Writing things for co-workers or customers.
-
Learning strategies
Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
-
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.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Persuasion
Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Negotiation
Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
-
Mathematics
Using maths to solve problems.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Oral expression
Communicate by speaking.
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Written comprehension
Read and understand written information.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Speech clarity
Speak clearly so others can understand you.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Selective attention
Pay attention to something without being distracted.
-
Sorting or ordering
Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Stamina
Exercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.
-
Flexibility of closure
See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Finger dexterity
Put together small parts with your fingers.
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
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.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Scheduling work and activities
Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
-
Thinking creatively
Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.
-
Communicating with the public
Giving information to the public, business or government by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with the public
Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Coordinating the work of a team
Getting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
-
Documenting or recording information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

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, 39-2021.00 - Nonfarm Animal Caretakers.
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.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Telephone
Talk on the telephone.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Unstructured work
Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Repeating same tasks
Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.
-
Contact with the public
Work with customers or the public.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Indoors, heat controlled
Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
Minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings
Be exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Time pressure
Work to strict deadlines.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Physically close to people
Work physically close to other people.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.
-
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.

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, 39-2021.00 - Nonfarm Animal Caretakers.