Opens in a new tab
Occupations / Printers

Printers

Printers set up and operate letterpress, lithographic, flexographic, gravure, newspaper, instant, digital and offset printing presses.

ManufacturingANZSCO 3923
$1,408/wkMedian full-time pay
8,822People employed
+5% ▲Growth to 2035
81%Work full time
49Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3923.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

setting, adjusting and monitoring substrate-feed mechanisms, delivery mechanisms, inking systems and other printing machine functionsmixing ink and solvents to standard, and regulating paper and ink supply during print runsmonitoring, evaluating and determining press operations manually and by computer to check print quality standards against proofs and detect malfunctionsproducing a variety of printed products using relief, lithographic, flexographic and gravure printing presses, and in-line finishing systemspreparing plates, blankets and impression cylinders on small offset lithographic printing pressesloading paper into feeding mechanisms
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 3923 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 500 more people in printers by 2035 ▲

The field shrank 9.1% in the year to February 2026, losing about 900 workers. Most of the jobs are in VIC and NSW, with QLD third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3923.More about our sources: How we check our facts
10.9k2025
10.8k2030 PROJ.
11.4k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

Most printers came through a certificate or diploma. 56% did.

A university degree is rare here: 11% hold one. The trade qualification is the standard way in. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 3923. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

ICP31220Certificate III

Certificate III in Printing

Printing and Graphic Arts.

See 7 providers
ICP40120Certificate IV

Certificate IV in Printing and Graphic Arts Management

Printing and Graphic Arts.

See 1 provider
ICP50120Diploma

Diploma of Printing and Graphic Arts Business Management

Printing and Graphic Arts.

See 1 provider

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

8,822 Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3923.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

VIC3.5k
NSW2.6k
QLD1.8k
SA1.1k
WA0.5k
TAS0.2k
ACT0.2k
NT0.1k