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Occupations / Wood Machinists And Other Wood Trades Workers

Wood Machinists and Other Wood Trades Workers

Wood Machinists and Other Wood Trades Workers set up and operate woodworking machines and wood turning lathes to shape wood stock, finish and polish furniture, and make picture frames and frame paintings, photographs and other artwork.

ManufacturingANZSCO 3942
$1,405/wkMedian full-time pay
4,583People employed
+6% ▲Growth to 2035
55%Work full time
53Median 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 3942.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

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

studying drawings, work orders and sample parts to determine specificationsdetermining tooling and machine requirements and sequence of operationssetting up woodworking machines and wood stock for correct cutting, planning, turning, shaping and sandingoperating machines to cut, plane, turn, shape and sand work piecesremoving old finishes by stripping with steel wool and glasspaper, and by applying solvents and paint strippers, and removing softened finishes by scrapingapplying varnish, shellac, lacquer, stains and paint to surfaces and polishing and waxing finished surfaces
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 3942 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 200 more people in wood machinists and other wood trades workers by 2035 ▲

The field grew 19.4% in the year to February 2026, adding about 700 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and VIC, 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 3942.More about our sources: How we check our facts
2.6k2025
2.7k2030 PROJ.
2.8k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 46% trained through VET, 14% hold a degree.

Both paths are common in this field. 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 3942. 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

MSF30122Certificate III

Certificate III in Furniture Finishing

Furnishing Training Package.

See 4 providers
MSF30518Certificate III

Certificate III in Picture Framing

Furnishing Training Package.

See 1 provider
FWP31121Certificate III

Certificate III in Wood Machining

Forest and Wood Products Training Package.

See 0 providers

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

Jobs open right now

4,583 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 3942.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW1k
VIC0.9k
QLD0.6k
WA0.5k
SA0.3k
TAS0.2k
ACT0.1k
NT0.1k