Labourers

The Labourers graphic shows 40% of jobs are regional. 25% of workers are aged 15 to 24 years. 15% of workers are self-employed.

The Labourers graphic shows 10% of workers hold a bachelor degree or higher. 25% of workers hold a certificate 3 or higher qualification. 7% of workers hold an other qualification. 58% of workers do not hold a post-school qualification.

Annual Employment Growth (%)

Labourers perform a variety of routine and repetitive physical tasks. Some Labourer jobs require physical fitness (like Building and Plumbing Labourers) but not all involve heavy work (for example, Fast Food Cooks).

Jobs in this group are often advertised informally, with many being filled by applicants approaching the employer directly.

Top employing occupations

Occupation
Commercial Cleaners
Kitchenhands
Building and Plumbing Labourers
Shelf Fillers
Packers
Other Miscellaneous Labourers
Fast Food Cooks
Handypersons
Food and Drink Factory Workers
Livestock Farm Workers
Concreters
Crop Farm Workers
Domestic Cleaners
Product Assemblers
Insulation and Home Improvement Installers
Garden and Nursery Labourers
Structural Steel Construction Workers
Car Detailers
Housekeepers
Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories Fitters

Most Labourer positions do not generally require post-school qualifications, a large share of workers are aged 15 to 24 years and part-time work is common. Accordingly, there are good opportunities for young people to gain work experience or combine work with study.

While formal qualifications are not necessarily a requirement for these roles, some may require mandatory tickets or licences. In addition, job seekers will generally need to possess a driver's licence and their own personal transport.

Sources: ABS, Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations; ABS, Characteristics of Employment; ABS, Education and Work; ABS, Labour Force (seasonally adjusted and annual averages of original data); National Skills Commission, Employers' Recruitment Insights.