Shearer
Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.
| Job Prospects |
Openings 5 years to 2016-17: < 5 000 |
| Salary Range |
Median weekly earnings: $951 to 1150 (Source: DEEWR Australian Jobs 2012: www.deewr.gov.au/australian-jobs-publication) |
| Brief |
Shearers use handpieces that are equipped with combs and very sharp cutters to cut wool from sheep.
There are currently around 600 shearers employed in South Australia. Employment is largely full-time and most work in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry. Most persons in this occupation are male and most are employed outside the Adelaide metropolitan area. This occupation has a younger age profile with less than a quarter of shearers aged 45 years or older. |
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TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Shearer
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Introduction
Wool is still one of Australia's largest exports, and the technology used in shearing today is essentially the same as that used a hundred years ago. However, handpieces, shearing plants, and combs and cutters have improved. It takes a couple of minutes to shear a sheep, and a good shearer can shear up to 200 sheep per day.
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Education Requirements
There are no formal educational requirements needed to become a shearer. Of those currently employed 14% have a Certificate III or IV qualification, 3% have either a Certificate I or II and 76% have no post school qualifications.
It can take three to five years to become a truly competent shearer. Many shearers are still learning new techniques after many years. Formal training can assist you to learn the latest techniques.
TAFE SA offer the following courses that may assist you gaining employment in this occupation:
Certificate II and III in Shearing
For further information on these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website at www.tafesa.edu.au
Career Path
Shearers can be self-employed or work in a shearing team on properties usually located in country areas. They are paid according to the number of sheep they shear and crutch. Shearers can develop their skills to improve earnings and may progress to shed management, wool classing or other areas of the wool industry.
Shearing is a small occupation with average employment prospects. It is not as seasonal as it once was. There is usually work all year round in most states with peak demand being in spring and autumn.
Industry
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Interview
To be updated.
Nature of the Job
Most shearers now travel out from home to the property where the shearing is being conducted. When they stay over, it's called a camp-out or expedition shearing. Shearers own and maintain their own equipment and perform many tasks other than the main process of shearing fleece from sheep. They have to capture the sheep in a catching-pen and drag it to the shearing machine. This work is physically demanding and correct handling techniques are needed.
You need good balance, reflexes and sheep handling skills in order to maintain control over the sheep while shearing. Warm up exercises are an important preparation for the strenuous work of shearing and are recommended to avoid injuries. Back strain is a hazard of the job. New ideas for wool harvesting are being trialled which will eliminate the need for shearers to drag sheep from the pen. However, professionally trained shearers will still be required to operate the handpiece and remove fleece from the sheep in the traditional way.
Typical Physical Working Environment
Shearers need to be physically fit, efficient and methodical. This work can be uncomfortable as most shearing is done in hot tin sheds on farms and stations. A good diet and regular fluid intake is important so that shearers maintain adequate reserves of energy to continue working. The working day is fairly regimented. It consists of four 2 hour runs starting at 7.30am and finishing at 5.30pm. There are two 30 minute breaks throughout the day and a one hour break for lunch.
Most shearers work in a team, ranging anywhere from three people to over 30 for a large team, most commonly there are 10 or 12 workers on a team. Work is seasonal. The main shearing seasons are in autumn and spring, with work slowing down in winter and prior to Christmas. Some shearers work part-time on other work on farms during the off-season periods. Other shearers travel around to different regions of the State to pick up continuous shearing work.
Typical Occupational Example
While males have typically performed this work in the past, females interested in becoming shearers are being encouraged by people in the industry to check it out. Most people start out as wool-handlers. Their job is to keep the shed clean, herd the sheep and take the shorn fleece to the table where other wool-handlers prepare the fleece into bails. The first steps for learners are how to hold the sheep and then how to hold the shearing equipment. After learning how to shear a sheep, the key skill to learn is how to shear large numbers of sheep. Because, until a person can shear 80 sheep a day, they are only paid woolhandler rates. Beyond that they are classed as 'improvers' and can be employed as shearers and receive piecework rates. Learners/wool handlers often gain experience by finishing off sheep shorn by shearers or practice on the end of the run.
For further information, contact:
South Australian Farmers' Federation
PO Box 6014 Halifax St Adelaide SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8410 7233
Fax: (08) 8211 7303
Email: info@saff.com.au
Internet Address: http://www.saff.com.au
Earning Potential
Earnings for experienced shearers are calculated by piecework rates, which depend on the number of sheep sheared per day. Shearers are currently paid about $1.65 per sheep. Those who work fast, efficiently and have good shearing skills can earn up to $500 per day. Earnings can range anywhere from $30,000 to $55,000 or more per annum. Shearing is hard work but those who are good, have the opportunity to travel state-wide, interstate or even internationally following the work.
Further Information
For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or enquire online