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Earthmoving Plant Operators

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.

Trades & constructionLicensed workANZSCO 7212
$1,900/wkMedian full-time pay
51kPeople employed
+4% ▲Growth to 2035
94%Work full time
44Median 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 7212.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

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

preparing and positioning plant for operationselecting, fitting and removing attachments such as buckets, winches, loading scoops, shovel blades and rock breaking hammersoperating controls to excavate, break, drill, level, compact, gouge out, move, load and spread earth, rock, rubble, soil and other materialsmonitoring operation of plant and adjusting controls to regulate pressure, speed and flow of operation, and ensuring safety of other workersraising, lowering and manipulating attachments using manual and hydraulic controlsworking from drawings, markers and verbal instructions
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 7212 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 2,100 more people in earthmoving plant operators by 2035 ▲

The field grew 0.6% in the year to February 2026, adding about 300 workers. Most of the jobs are in QLD and NSW, with VIC 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 7212.More about our sources: How we check our facts
48.6k2025
49.2k2030 PROJ.
50.7k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 37% trained through VET, 1% 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 7212. 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

RII30826Certificate III

Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package.

See 185 providers
RII30926Certificate III

Certificate III in Civil Construction

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package.

See 108 providers
RII20720Certificate II

Certificate II in Civil Construction

Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package · licensed work.

See 65 providers

Licensed work: several of these courses lead to work that also needs a state or territory licence. Training is the first step; licensing rules are set by each state.

See all 5 mapped courses
RII30826Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations · 185 providers
RII30926Certificate III in Civil Construction · 108 providers
RII20720Certificate II in Civil Construction · 65 providers
RII31619Certificate III in Trenchless Technology · 8 providers
RII31220Certificate III in Civil Foundations · 5 providers

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

Jobs open right now

51k 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 7212.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

QLD14.1k
NSW13.7k
VIC9.3k
WA6.8k
SA3.7k
TAS1.5k
NT0.6k
ACT0.3k

Occupations near this one

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