Earthmoving Plant Operators
VET / TAFE Stable · ANZSCO skill level 4 · occupation 7212
Earthmoving Plant Operators operate plant to excavate earth, ore and rock, break up pavement, road, rock and obstructions, move and load earth, rock and debris, and level, smooth and compact surfaces in construction and other projects.
People employed51,400
Median pay$1,900per week, full-time
Projected growth+1.2%over 5 years (to 2030)
Recent growth+0.6%per year
Median age44
Female share5%
How do you get there?
Highest qualification held by people in this job: 1.4% university · 37.1% vet / tafe · 56.3% school / entry (ABS Census via JSA).
Where these jobs are
QLD 28.2% · NSW 27.4% · VIC 18.5% · WA 13.7% · SA 7.4% · TAS 3% · NT 1.2% · ACT 0.7%
Top industries
Construction · Mining.
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.