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Freight and Furniture Handlers

Freight and Furniture Handlers load and unload trucks, containers and rail cars, and transfer cargo between ships and other forms of transport and storage facilities.

Transport & logisticsLicensed workANZSCO 8911
$1,652/wkMedian full-time pay
16kPeople employed
+2% ▲Growth to 2035
60%Work full time
29Median 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 8911.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

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

labelling goods with customers' details and destinationsloading goods into trucks, containers and rail wagons, and securing loadsassisting to tie down loads and cover them with tarpaulinsguiding truck drivers into loading bays and through confined spacesperforming clerical functions to record and check cargo on arrival, storage and despatchopening and closing hatches and securing cargo to prevent shifting during voyages
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 8911 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

A steady field: around 15k jobs in freight and furniture handlers through 2035

The field grew 3% in the year to February 2026, adding about 500 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 8911.More about our sources: How we check our facts
14.7k2025
14.5k2030 PROJ.
15k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 28% trained through VET, 7% 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 8911. 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

TLI30219Certificate III

Certificate III in Stevedoring

Transport and Logistics Training Package.

See 3 providers
TLI40421Certificate IV

Certificate IV in Stevedoring Operations

Transport and Logistics Training Package.

See 2 providers
TLI20221Certificate II

Certificate II in Road Transport Terminal Operations

Transport and Logistics Training Package.

See 1 provider

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 6 mapped courses
TLI30219Certificate III in Stevedoring · 3 providers
TLI40421Certificate IV in Stevedoring Operations · 2 providers
TLI20221Certificate II in Road Transport Terminal Operations · 1 provider
TLI20321Certificate II in Stevedoring · 1 provider
AVI20119Certificate II in Aviation (Flight Operations-Cargo Services) · 0 providers
MAR20121Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Linesperson) · 0 providers

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

Jobs open right now

16k 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 8911.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW4.6k
VIC4.2k
QLD3.2k
WA1.6k
SA0.7k
TAS0.3k
ACT0.2k
NT0.1k