Industry data
Trades workforce statistics
The numbers behind Australia's tradies: how many people work as technicians and trades workers, how many work in each of the main trades, what they earn, how many women work in the trades, the apprentices in training, trade shortages and the safety record. Each figure links to the agency that published it and shows the period it applies to.
Reviewed 29 October 2026
Key figures
- 2,138.5 thousand people employed as technicians and trades workers
- 197,300 people employed as electricians, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
- 149,600 people employed as carpenters and joiners, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
- 107,600 people employed as plumbers, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
- $1,845 median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial technicians and trades workers on adult pay rates, before tax
- 289,090 apprentice and trainee contracts in training, as estimated by NCVER
How many tradies there are
How many people work as technicians and trades workers, from the ABS Labour Force Survey. This occupation group covers technicians as well as tradespeople, in every industry, not only construction. The figures are original estimates, not seasonally adjusted, and count people by their main job.
2,138.5 thousand
people employed as technicians and trades workers
Original estimate for the OSCA occupation major group, which covers trades in every industry, not only construction.
Link to this figure1,798.2 thousand
technicians and trades workers employed full-time
Original estimate for the OSCA occupation major group.
Link to this figure| Year | People employed |
|---|---|
| August 2020 | |
| August 2021 | |
| August 2022 | |
| August 2023 | |
| August 2024 | |
| August 2025 | |
| August 2026 |
Thousands of people. Original estimates for the OSCA occupation major group. The ABS has re-coded estimates collected under the older ANZSCO classification to OSCA to give a consistent series.
Link to this chartTradies by trade
How many people work in each of the main trades, from Jobs and Skills Australia's occupation data. These are trend estimates that Jobs and Skills Australia calculated from the ABS Labour Force Survey, on the older ANZSCO occupation classification, and it says it will not update them again on that basis.
197,300
people employed as electricians, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
ANZSCO unit group 3411, electricians, by main job. ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, as trend data calculated by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure7,200
more people employed as electricians than a year earlier
The change in trend employment over the year, as calculated by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure149,600
people employed as carpenters and joiners, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
ANZSCO unit group 3312, carpenters and joiners, by main job. ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, as trend data calculated by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure107,600
people employed as plumbers, a trend estimate by Jobs and Skills Australia
ANZSCO unit group 3341, plumbers, by main job. ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, as trend data calculated by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure| Trade | People employed |
|---|---|
| Electricians | |
| Carpenters and joiners | |
| Metal fitters and machinists | |
| Motor mechanics | |
| Plumbers | |
| Structural steel and welding trades workers | |
| Painting trades workers | |
| Plasterers | |
| Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics | |
| Bricklayers and stonemasons | |
| Wall and floor tilers |
ANZSCO unit groups, by main job. ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, as trend data calculated by Jobs and Skills Australia. A selection of trades, not every trade occupation.
Link to this chartWomen in the trades
How many women work as technicians and trades workers, from the ABS Labour Force Survey, and the share of women in each of the main trades, from Jobs and Skills Australia's occupation data. Jobs and Skills Australia suppresses some shares because small Labour Force Survey estimates are volatile.
323.6 thousand
women employed as technicians and trades workers
Original estimate for the OSCA occupation major group.
Link to this figureWhat tradies earn
Weekly pay for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours. The figures for each trade are medians that Jobs and Skills Australia publishes from a customised report of the same survey. They cover employees only, not self-employed tradies, and they are not a guide to the wage for any particular job.
$1,845
median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial technicians and trades workers on adult pay rates, before tax
Weekly total cash earnings of full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, for the ANZSCO major group. Employees only.
Link to this figure$1,852
median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial employees on adult pay rates in all occupations, for comparison
Weekly total cash earnings of full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax.
Link to this figure$1,919
median weekly pay for men working full-time as non-managerial technicians and trades workers on adult pay rates, before tax
Link to this figure$1,512
median weekly pay for women working full-time as non-managerial technicians and trades workers on adult pay rates, before tax
Link to this figure$2,191
median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial electrician employees on adult pay rates, before tax
Full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrificed amounts, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, as published by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure$1,990
median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial plumber employees on adult pay rates, before tax
Full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrificed amounts, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, as published by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure$1,760
median weekly pay for full-time, non-managerial carpenter and joiner employees on adult pay rates, before tax
Full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrificed amounts, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, as published by Jobs and Skills Australia.
Link to this figure| Trade | Median weekly pay ($) |
|---|---|
| Metal fitters and machinists | |
| Bricklayers and stonemasons | |
| Electricians | |
| Air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics | |
| Plumbers | |
| Plasterers | |
| Carpenters and joiners | |
| Structural steel and welding trades workers | |
| Motor mechanics | |
| Painting trades workers |
Full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrificed amounts, from the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, as published by Jobs and Skills Australia. Jobs and Skills Australia does not publish a median where the estimate is too unreliable, so wall and floor tilers are left out.
Link to this chartApprentices and trainees
Apprentice and trainee contracts in training, started and completed, from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). NCVER counts contracts of training, and splits them into trade and non-trade occupations. These figures are NCVER estimates.
289,090
apprentice and trainee contracts in training, as estimated by NCVER
Active contracts, trade and non-trade together. NCVER revises these estimates for up to seven quarters, so later editions may give different figures for this date.
Link to this figure216,000
trade apprentice and trainee contracts in training, as estimated by NCVER
Contracts in trade occupations. Down 12,880, or 5.6%, on a year earlier. NCVER revises these estimates for up to seven quarters, so later editions may give different figures for this date.
Link to this figure77,550
trade apprentice and trainee contracts started, as estimated by NCVER
Down 850, or 1.1%, on the previous 12 months. NCVER revises these estimates for up to seven quarters, so later editions may give different figures for this date.
Link to this figure55,570
trade apprentice and trainee contracts completed, as estimated by NCVER
Up 5,005, or 9.9%, on the previous 12 months. NCVER revises these estimates for up to seven quarters, so later editions may give different figures for this date.
Link to this figureTrade shortages
Jobs and Skills Australia's Occupation Shortage List rates each occupation as in national, metropolitan or regional shortage, or not in shortage. It counts occupations, not workers, so it shows how widespread shortages are rather than how many workers are needed.
69
technicians and trades occupations were in national shortage in every list over the period
Occupations in the OSCA technicians and trades workers major group. They made up 54% of the 127 occupations in national shortage in every list from 2021 to 2026. A count of occupations, not of workers.
Link to this figureSafety
Deaths at work among electricians, from Safe Work Australia's work health and safety profile of the trade.
44
electricians died from traumatic injuries at work
Safe Work Australia's profile does not state the exact years covered. From its Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities database.
Link to this figure23
electricians' deaths at work were from electrocution
Safe Work Australia reports 52% of the deaths were from electrocution, and a further 9 from falls from a height.
Link to this figureCommon questions
How many tradies are there in Australia?
2,138.5 thousand people were employed as technicians and trades workers, according to the ABS. That occupation group includes technicians as well as tradespeople, and covers every industry, not only construction. Of them, 323.6 thousand were women.
How many electricians are there in Australia?
197,300 people were employed as electricians in their main job, according to Jobs and Skills Australia, which was 7,200 more than a year earlier. This is a trend estimate on the older ANZSCO classification, so it does not match the ABS figure for all technicians and trades workers.
How many plumbers are there in Australia?
107,600 people were employed as plumbers in their main job, according to Jobs and Skills Australia. This is a trend estimate on the older ANZSCO classification, so it does not match the ABS figure for all technicians and trades workers.
How many carpenters are there in Australia?
149,600 people were employed as carpenters and joiners in their main job, according to Jobs and Skills Australia. This is a trend estimate on the older ANZSCO classification, so it does not match the ABS figure for all technicians and trades workers.
How much do tradies earn in Australia?
Full-time, non-managerial technicians and trades workers on adult pay rates had median weekly pay of $1,845 before tax, compared with $1,852 across all occupations. By trade, the median was $2,191 for electricians and $1,990 for plumbers. These figures cover employees only, not self-employed tradies.
How much do carpenters earn in Australia?
Full-time, non-managerial carpenters and joiners on adult pay rates had median weekly pay of $1,760 before tax. The figure covers employees only, not self-employed carpenters, and is not a guide to the wage for any particular job.
How many apprentices are there in Australia?
NCVER estimated that 289,090 apprentice and trainee contracts were in training, and 216,000 of them were in trade occupations. Over the year, 77,550 trade contracts were started and 55,570 were completed.
Is there a trade shortage in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia rates occupations, not numbers of workers. 27% of occupations assessed were in national shortage, and 48% of technicians and trades workers occupations were, which Jobs and Skills Australia reports as the highest proportion of any major group. 69 technicians and trades occupations had been in national shortage in every list over the period.
How many women work in trades in Australia?
323.6 thousand women were employed as technicians and trades workers, according to the ABS. In every trade shown in the chart of women in the main trades, the share of women is below the 48% of all employed people who are women.
Using these figures
You are welcome to quote any figure on this page. Please credit the original publisher named beside it, and link to this page if it saved you time. Each figure has its own link, so you can send readers straight to it.
How these figures are put together
Every figure on this page comes from the published source linked beside it and applies to the period shown with it. Figures are copied as published. Nothing is estimated, adjusted or combined from different sources.
Each figure is checked against its source when the page is reviewed, and the review date is shown at the top of the page. If a source publishes a newer figure before then, or you spot an error, let us know through the contact page.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Labour Force, Australia, September 2026. ABS Labour Force Survey, quarterly occupation table 023_QTR, released 15 October 2026. Occupation data use the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), and the ABS has re-coded estimates back to August 2006 to OSCA to give a consistent series. Updates: Monthly. Occupation estimates are published quarterly, for February, May, August and November, and as monthly original estimates. This page uses the quarterly table. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
- Jobs and Skills Australia: ANZSCO Occupation data, February 2026: ANZSCO-based occupation profiles, superseded. ABS Labour Force Survey, Detailed, February 2026, as Jobs and Skills Australia trend data (employment and annual employment growth); ABS Labour Force Survey, 2025 four-quarter average, customised report (female share); ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report (median weekly earnings). Data current as of March 2026. Updates: Will not be updated again on the ANZSCO basis. Jobs and Skills Australia's OSCA-based occupation profiles so far use 2021 Census data, and it plans a fuller set of OSCA occupation data, including Labour Force Survey data, in November 2026. Retrieved 19 October 2026.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 2025 (data cube 8). ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, released 23 January 2026. Occupations are ANZSCO major groups. Updates: Usually every two years. The ABS has not yet announced the next release. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
- National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER): Apprentices and trainees 2026: March quarter. NCVER's National Apprentice and Trainee Collection, as published in the data workbook for Apprentices and trainees 2026: March quarter. Updates: Quarterly. Estimates are revised for up to seven quarters. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
- Jobs and Skills Australia: 2026 Occupation Shortage List: key findings report, October 2026. Jobs and Skills Australia's annual assessment of occupations, reported on the OSCA occupation classification. Updates: Annual. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
- Safe Work Australia: WHS profile: electricians, June 2024. Safe Work Australia's Work-related Traumatic Injury Fatalities database. Updates: Periodic. Retrieved 29 October 2026.
More reading: Asset finance brokers: the complete guide for operators
Financing equipment for your business?
One form, and free quotes matched to your kind of asset. Business and commercial use only.