Machinery Operators and Drivers

The Machinery Operators and Drivers graphic shows 36% of jobs are regional. 10% of workers are aged 15 to 24 years. 14% of workers are self-employed.

The Machinery Operators and Drivers graphic shows 10% of workers hold a bachelor degree or higher. 30% of workers hold a certificate 3 or higher qualification. 6% of workers hold an other qualification. 54% of workers do not hold a post-school qualification.

Annual Employment Growth (%)

Machinery Operators and Drivers operate machines and vehicles and are mainly employed in Transport, Postal and Warehousing, Manufacturing and Construction. More than one third of workers in this group are employed in regional Australia.

Top employing occupations

Occupation
Truck Drivers
Storepersons
Delivery Drivers
Forklift Drivers
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers
Automobile Drivers
Earthmoving Plant Operators
Bus and Coach Drivers
Train and Tram Drivers
Other Machine Operators
Engineering Production Workers
Other Stationary Plant Operators
Crane, Hoist and Lift Operators
Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators
Paper and Wood Processing Machine Operators
Sewing Machinists
Plastics and Rubber Production Machine Operators
Other Mobile Plant Operators
Industrial Spraypainters
Clay, Concrete, Glass and Stone Processing Machine Operators

Post-school qualifications are often not essential to gain employment in this group, but tickets or licences are mandatory for many positions. Employers value employability skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, creativity and initiative.

This occupation group is mostly male (89% of the workforce) and the age profile is relatively old (more than one in four workers is aged 55 years or older).

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.