Australian Education Pathways

Butchers and Smallgoods Makers

VET / TAFE Moderate growth · ANZSCO skill level 3 · occupation 3512

Butchers and Smallgoods Makers select, cut, trim, prepare and arrange meat for sale and supply, operate meat and smallgoods processing machines, and manage the processes in the production of smallgoods.

People employed14,300
Median pay$1,550per week, full-time
Projected growth+4.5%over 5 years (to 2030)
Recent growth+0.7%per year
Median age40
Female share10%

How do you get there?

Highest qualification held by people in this job: 3% university · 58.8% vet / tafe · 33.1% school / entry (ABS Census via JSA).

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Where these jobs are

NSW 32.1% · QLD 25.8% · VIC 17.4% · WA 12.4% · SA 6.5% · TAS 3.4% · ACT 1.4% · NT 0.9%

Top industries

Retail Trade · Manufacturing.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation profiles (Feb 2026) + Employment Projections (May 2025–2035). © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0. Figures are national estimates.