OSCA 741937

Stevedore

Overview

  • Employed persons

    4,000

  • Employment status

    68.1% Full time

    32.0% Part time

  • Median age

    47 years

  • Employment by sex

    5.5% Female

    94.7% Male

    Almost completely male dominated

  • Indigenous employment share

    3.0%

  • Main employing industry

    Transport, Postal and Warehousing

Indicator Stevedore Total employment
Employed persons 4,000 12,049,400
Median age 47 years 40 years
Full-time share 68.1% 64.2%
Part-time share 32.0% 35.8%
Female employment share 5.5% 48.5%
Male employment share 94.7% 51.5%
Gender segregation intensity scale Almost completely male dominated Gender balanced
Indigenous employment share 3.0% 2.2%
Main employing industry Transport, Postal and Warehousing Health Care and Social Assistance
Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

Occupation overview

Stevedores transfer cargo between ships and other forms of transport or storage facilities.

What the occupation involves

  • Loads and unloads cargo from ships using appropriate techniques and equipment such as forklifts, gantry cranes, reach stackers, straddle carriers, front-end loaders, excavators, mobile wharf cranes or conveyor systems
  • Secures cargo using ropes, chains and other devices
  • Transfers cargo between vessels and wharf storage facilities, and between storage facilities and road or rail transport
  • Inspects cargo for damage and reports any issues
  • Communicates with supervisors and other workers to coordinate cargo transfer operations
  • Organises and prioritises cargo based on shipping schedules and requirements

Common occupation titles

  • Wharf Labourer

Specialisations

No specialisations are listed for this occupation.

Skill level (education and experience level)

Skill level 4
equivalent to a lower‑level Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification (Certificate II or III).

Note: While skill levels are described using formal education levels, some people use a combination of informal learning, on-the-job training and personal experience to achieve an equivalent level.

Licensing or registration requirements

Registration or licensing may be required.

OSCA structure

Employment

On this page

    Industries

    Top 10 most common industries, 2021

    Stevedore Total employment
    Industry Share of occupation Industry Share of occupation
    Transport, Postal and Warehousing 91.9% Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5%
    Wholesale Trade 3.0% Retail Trade 9.1%
    Administrative and Support Services 0.4% Construction 8.9%
    Manufacturing 0.4% Education and Training 8.8%
    Mining 0.4% Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 7.8%
    Public Administration and Safety 0.4% Public Administration and Safety 6.6%
    Retail Trade 0.3% Accommodation and Food Services 6.5%
    Construction 0.2% Manufacturing 5.9%
    Arts and Recreation Services 0.1% Transport, Postal and Warehousing 4.5%
    Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing <0.1% Financial and Insurance Services 3.7%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    States and territories

    Employment distribution by states and territories, 2021

    • New South Wales

      27.4%

    • Victoria

      24.2%

    • Queensland

      15.3%

    • South Australia

      8.8%

    • Tasmania

      5.2%

    • Northern Territory

      1.4%

    • Australian Capital Territory

      0.0%

    Stevedore Total employment
    State / Territory Employment Share of occupation Employment Share of occupation
    New South Wales 1,100 27.4% 3,684,200 30.6%
    Victoria 960 24.2% 3,162,900 26.2%
    Queensland 610 15.3% 2,444,100 20.3%
    South Australia 350 8.8% 839,400 7.0%
    Western Australia 690 17.3% 1,306,200 10.8%
    Tasmania 210 5.2% 254,700 2.1%
    Northern Territory 50 1.4% 107,000 0.9%
    Australian Capital Territory 0 0.0% 248,600 2.1%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    Age and sex

    Employment distibution by age group and sex, 2021

    Stevedore

    Total employment

    Age group Stevedore Total employment
    15–24 years 4.8% 14.3%
    25–34 years 15.7% 22.7%
    35–44 years 22.1% 22.3%
    45–54 years 32.0% 20.4%
    55–64 years 22.2% 15.3%
    65–74 years 3.1% 4.3%
    75 years and over 0.1% 0.6%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.
    Sex Stevedore Total employment
    Female 5.5% 48.5%
    Male 94.7% 51.5%
    Note: N/A values indicate data are not available due to confidentiality or data reliability requirements.

    On this page

      OSCA occupation profiles data

      This file contains data available from the OSCA Occupation Profile page.

      Use of this data must include the relevant attribution text provided.

      OSCA Occupation data - 2021 Census.xlsx

      xlsx 1236447

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      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA)

      Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) is the skill-based classification used to categorise occupations across the Australian labour market. OSCA is used to define occupations across all official occupational statistics. OSCA replaces the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).

      Each job is classified to one, and only one, group of jobs at each level of the classification with no overlaps. This prevents the accidental double-counting of roles within the Australian labour market. For more information about OSCA, visit the What is OSCA information page, or the ABS website.

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