- Date:
- 19 Aug 2026
1 Industry snapshot
Agriculture, forestry and fishing skills and workforce snapshot
Workforce overview
Victoria’s fifteenth largest employing industry:
- 72,000 people employed
- 1.9% of the Victorian workforce.
Top employing jobs in the industry:
- Livestock farmers
- Crop farmers.
Workforce profile
- Predominantly male workforce, with over half the workforce holding a post-school qualification
- Higher proportion of the workforce is aged 50+ (49% compared to 29% statewide)
- More workers have a VET qualification (34% compared to 30% statewide).
Projections
Victoria’s fourteenth highest growing industry:
- 5,400 new workers expected by 2028
- 20,200 new workers are expected by 2035
- Close to 90 per cent of the people employed in the industry work in the agriculture industry sub-sector.
Top growing jobs in the industry are:
- Livestock farmers, +3,300 new workers by 2028
- Mixed crop and livestock farmers, +2,500 new workers by 2028.
Regional outlook
Regions expecting the highest share of new workers:
- Melbourne: Northern metropolitan Melbourne
- Regional: Mallee and Great South Coast.
Skills demand
Top growing jobs in the industry range in skill level requirements:
- Higher skilled jobs in the industry are correlated with higher retention rates.
Most in-demand industry specific skills:
- Inventory and warehousing
- Heavy equipment operation.
Skills supply
Popular vocational education and training courses:
- Certificate II in Agriculture
- Certificate III in Agriculture.
Popular university study areas:
- Business management
- Food science and biotechnology.
2 Introduction
About the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry
About these reports
These reports provide a point in time, data-driven overview of the workforce and skills for each industry.
The report does not provide a complete view of workforce dynamics within the industry. Its purpose is to support ongoing efforts to address workforce and skilling demands and to identify opportunities within the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry.
Report coverage
This report focuses on the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry and the occupations relevant to the industry, categorised using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) classification of industries (ANZSIC) and occupations (ANZSCO).
Coverage in this report is limited to employment in the industry and sectors as defined by the ABS, noting some occupations are almost exclusively associated with an industry, such as surgeons in the health services sector, while others, such as accountants, are associated with many industries.
Furthermore, industry classifications rarely encompass the full nature of the work (and therefore skills) associated with a given industry. Therefore, ABS definitions of industries or sectors may not align with the definitions used by an industry association.
Key sectors of the industry
The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry is responsible for the cultivation of crops and livestock, sustainable forest management and harvesting of wild and aquatic resources.
The key sectors within the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry are:
- Agriculture – includes broadacre farming for crops such as wheat, barley and canola; livestock production including sheep, beef cattle, dairy, poultry and pigs; and horticulture like fruit, nuts, vegetables and nursery production
- Aquaculture – includes the farming of fish, shellfish and other aquatic species in controlled environments such as ponds, tanks or sea pens
- Forestry and logging – includes the growing and harvesting of plantation and native forests, production of logs and woodchips, and sustainable forest management practices
- Fishing, hunting and trapping – includes commercial and recreational fishing, crustacean and mollusc harvesting, and controlled trapping of wild animals
- Support services – includes services such as contract mustering, shearing, crop spraying, cotton ginning, forest planting, pest control and irrigation support.
3 Workforce profile
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is Victoria’s fifteenth largest employing industry, with strong representation of VET qualified workers.
Employment
Employment by industry in 2025
- 72,000 employed1
- 1.9% Victorian employment share
- 15th share rank.
Employment by industry subdivision, 2025
Industry subdivision | Number of workers |
|---|---|
Agriculture | 64,000 |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing support services | 7,100 |
Forestry and logging | 980 |
Aquaculture | 10 |
Fishing, hunting and trapping | < 10 |
Workforce profile
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
Age distribution in 2021
Age profile – industry
Age | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
15 to 24 years | 9% |
25 to 49 years | 42% |
50 years and over | 49% |
Age profile – all industries
Age | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
15 to 24 years | 14% |
25 to 49 years | 57% |
50 years and over | 29% |
Sex distribution² in 2021
Sex distribution – industry
Sex | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
Female | 33% |
Male | 67% |
Sex distribution – all industries
Sex | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
Female | 49% |
Male | 51% |
Highest level of education in 2021
Highest level of education – industry
Education | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
VET | 34% |
Higher education | 17% |
No post-school qualifications | 50% |
Highest level of education – all industries
Education | Percentage of workers |
|---|---|
VET | 30% |
Higher education | 41% |
No post-school qualifications | 29% |
Workforce diversity
First Nations employment in 2021
Group | Percentage identifying as First Nations |
|---|---|
Industry | 0.8% |
All industries | 0.7% |
Working age population | 0.9% |
Speaks a language other than English³ in 2021
Group | Percentage speaking a language other than English at home |
|---|---|
Industry | 15.2% |
All industries | 27.4% |
Working age population | 34.4% |
Needs assistance with core activities⁴ in 2021
Group | Percentage needing assistance with core activities |
|---|---|
Industry | 1.6% |
All industries | 0.9% |
Working age population | 3.2% |
4 Top employing occupations
Livestock farmers is the top employing occupation in the industry, with a predominately male, full-time employed workforce.
Largest employing occupations within the industry by sex, employed part-time and highest education attainment
Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
Number employed by sex², ABS Census 2021
Occupation | Number of workers | Percentage Male | Percentage Female |
|---|---|---|---|
Livestock farmers | 18,400 | 67% | 33% |
Crop farmers | 7,500 | 75% | 25% |
Livestock farm workers | 5,400 | 61% | 39% |
Crop farm workers | 4,400 | 64% | 36% |
Mixed crop and livestock farmers | 4,200 | 77% | 23% |
Garden and nursery labourers | 1,600 | 47% | 53% |
Agricultural, forestry and horticultural plant operators | 1,500 | 91% | 9% |
Packers | 1,100 | 30% | 70% |
Gardeners | 900 | 80% | 20% |
Truck drivers | 780 | 98% | 2% |
Percentage working part-time in 2021
Occupation | Percentage working part-time |
|---|---|
Livestock farmers | 27% |
Crop farmers | 26% |
Livestock farm workers | 43% |
Crop farm workers | 40% |
Mixed crop and livestock farmers | 18% |
Garden and nursery labourers | 46% |
Agricultural, forestry and horticultural plant operators | 19% |
Packers | 46% |
Gardeners | 35% |
Truck drivers | 17% |
Highest educational attainment in 2021
Occupation | Percentage VET | Percentage higher education | Percentage no post-school qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
Livestock farmers | 35% | 16% | 49% |
Crop farmers | 31% | 14% | 55% |
Livestock farm workers | 32% | 9% | 59% |
Crop farm workers | 18% | 10% | 72% |
Mixed crop and livestock farmers | 40% | 12% | 48% |
Garden and nursery labourers | 30% | 13% | 57% |
Agricultural, forestry and horticultural plant operators | 38% | 5% | 57% |
Packers | 17% | 16% | 67% |
Gardeners | 51% | 16% | 33% |
Truck drivers | 36% | 2% | 62% |
5 Workforce projections
Workforce projections: 3-year and 10-year outlook
Workforce projections – industry
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | -1,940 | -36% | 7,400 | 136% | 5,400 |
2025 to 2035 | -3,510 | -17% | 23,700 | 117% | 20,200 |
Workforce projections – Victoria
Time period | Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Share | No. | Share | ||
2025 to 2028 | 143,000 | 38% | 230,000 | 62% | 373,000 |
2025 to 2035 | 650,000 | 45% | 804,000 | 55% | 1,454,000 |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
New workers expected⁵ by industry subdivision from 2025 to 2028
Industry subdivision | Number of workers | VET | Higher education | No post-school qualifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Agriculture | 3,700 | 33% | 16% | 51% |
Agriculture, forestry and | 1,300 | 38% | 18% | 44% |
Forestry and logging | 190 | 38% | 18% | 44% |
Fishing, hunting and trapping | 110 | 38% | 14% | 48% |
Aquaculture | 90 | 24% | 38% | 38% |
Occupations with high new workers expected⁵ with direct TAFE study pathways⁶ from 2025 to 2028
Occupation | New workers expected5 | TAFE pathways into occupation6 | Available under Free TAFE7 |
|---|---|---|---|
Livestock farmers | 3,290 | Certificate III in Poultry Production | - |
Certificate II in Beekeeping | - | ||
Mixed crop and livestock farmers | 2,480 | Diploma of Agriculture | - |
Crop farmers | 1,520 | Diploma of Viticulture | - |
Diploma of Agriculture | - | ||
Crop farm workers | 480 | Certificate III in Production Horticulture | ✓ |
| Livestock farm workers | 410 | Certificate IV in Wool Classing | - |
| Certificate III in Racing (Stablehand) | - | ||
| Certificate III in Dairy Production | - |
Northern metropolitan (within metropolitan Melbourne) and Mallee (within regional Victoria) are expecting the highest share of new workers
New workers expected⁵ for agriculture, forestry and fishing, by region⁸, from 2025 to 2028
New workers expected – industry
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Industry | -1,940 | 7,400 | 5,400 | 1% |
New workers expected – Metropolitan Melbourne
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan Melbourne | -1,860 | 1,600 | -280 | -5% |
Northern metropolitan | -250 | 260 | 10 | -5% |
Eastern metropolitan | -320 | 300 | -10 | 5% |
Southern metropolitan | -680 | 640 | -40 | 13% |
Inner south-east metropolitan | -80 | 30 | -50 | 17% |
Western metropolitan | -310 | 250 | -60 | 21% |
Inner metropolitan | -230 | 90 | -140 | 49% |
New workers expected – Regional Victoria
| Employment growth | Retirements | New workers expected 2028 | Share of total new workers expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Regional Victoria | -80 | 5,800 | 5,700 | 105% |
Mallee | 180 | 800 | 980 | 17% |
Great South Coast | 60 | 830 | 890 | 16% |
Gippsland | -220 | 1,000 | 820 | 14% |
Goulburn | -90 | 740 | 650 | 11% |
Loddon Campaspe | 30 | 610 | 640 | 11% |
Wimmera Southern Mallee | 80 | 460 | 540 | 9% |
Central Highlands | -20 | 500 | 480 | 8% |
Ovens Murray | -50 | 480 | 420 | 7% |
Barwon | -40 | 310 | 270 | 5% |
Note: Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
- -5 per cent of the new workers expected for the industry will be located within metropolitan Melbourne, with Northern metropolitan and Eastern metropolitan with the highest share of new workers
- 105 per cent of the new workers expected for the industry will be located within regional Victoria, with Mallee and Great South Coast with the highest share of new workers.
6 Top growing occupations
The top growing jobs in the industry vary in skill level requirements, with higher skilled jobs having higher retention rates.
Occupations with the highest new workers expected within the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry
Occupations with highest new workers expected5 | New workers expected5 | Skill level9 | Annual median earnings10 | Retention rate11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Livestock farmers | 3,300 | 1 | Not available | 80.1% |
Mixed crop and livestock farmers | 2,500 | 1 | Not available | 80.5% |
Crop farmers | 1,500 | 1 | Not available | 75.5% |
Crop farm workers | 480 | 5 | Not available | 60.6% |
Livestock farm workers | 410 | 5 | Not available | 72.3% |
Agricultural, forestry and horticultural plant operators | 400 | 3,4 | Not available | 70.1% |
Mixed crop and livestock farm workers | 310 | 5 | Not available | 76.3% |
Garden and nursery labourers | 270 | 5 | Not available | 71.6% |
Other farm, forestry and garden workers | 140 | 4,5 | Not available | 67.8% |
Aquaculture workers | 90 | 5 | Not available | 62.6% |
7 Skills needs
Skills in demand within the industry are evolving, with inventory and warehousing, and heavy equipment operation the most in-demand industry-specific skills.
Industry-specific skill demand
The most in-demand skills are inventory and warehousing, heavy equipment operation and sales management. Communication, initiative and leadership, and personal attributes (e.g. right attitude/mindset) are also important, with 80 per cent of job advertisements within the industry mentioning one or more of these skills.
Most mentioned industry-specific skills in 2024 as a share of job advertisements
Industry-specific skill | Share of job ads |
|---|---|
Inventory and warehousing | 23.2% |
Heavy equipment operation | 20.1% |
Sales management | 15.6% |
Agriculture and crop | 14.3% |
Merchandising | 14.3% |
Product development | 11.6% |
Supply chain management | 11.2% |
Company, product, and | 10.7% |
Agricultural research and | 8.5% |
Material handling | 7.1% |
Growing skills mentions within the industry
Skills increasingly being mentioned in job advertisements within the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry are occupational health and safety, machinery and livestock farming.
Note: these exclude industry-specific skills already identified as being in high demand.
Growing skills as a percentage point difference in job advertisement mentions from 2019 to 2024
Industry-specific skill | Percentage of job ad mentions in 2019 | Percentage of job ad mentions in 2024 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Occupational health and safety | 4.0% | 8.8% | 4.8% |
Machinery | 9.0% | 13.4% | 4.4% |
Livestock farming | 2.3% | 5.2% | 2.9% |
Animal care | 3.5% | 6.4% | 2.9% |
Groundskeeping and yard care | 28.7% | 31.5% | 2.7% |
Landscaping and horticulture | 20.5% | 23.1% | 2.6% |
Equipment repair and maintenance | 0.9% | 3.1% | 2.2% |
Business operations | 2.3% | 4.3% | 2.0% |
Food science and processing | 2.9% | 4.8% | 1.9% |
Scheduling | 0.2% | 1.9% | 1.8% |
8 Training activity
Popular courses and study areas linked to this industry include the Certificate II in Agriculture (VET) and Business Management (HE).
Government-funded VET courses⁶
The Certificate II in Agriculture, Certificate III in Agriculture and Certificate IV in Agriculture are among the most popular VET courses in the industry.
Course code | Course name | Available under Free TAFE7 |
|---|---|---|
AHC20122 | ✓ | |
AHC30122 | ✓ | |
AHC40122 | ✓ | |
RGR30218 | - | |
AHC41325 | - | |
AHC21216 | Certificate II in Rural Operations | - |
RGR40118 | - | |
AHC30224 | - | |
AHC30522 | - | |
AHC21325 | - |
Clicking the link will take you to the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window), where you can find further information about the course, entry requirements, training providers and financial supports available.
University study areas
Popular university study areas aligned with this industry include business management, food science, and biotechnology and agricultural science.
Field of education (FoE) code | FoE |
|---|---|
080301 | Business management |
019905 | Food science and biotechnology |
050101 | Agricultural science |
050301 | Horticulture |
030307 | Food processing technology |
050105 | Animal husbandry |
050303 | Viticulture |
080321 | Farm management and agribusiness |
050103 | Wool science |
050000 | Agriculture, environmental and related studies |
9 Appendix 1: Data notes
1. Employed: Refers to the estimated number of workers in the industry (working one or more paid hours per week) at the close of the financial year. The estimate is derived using the average of past observations.
2. Sex distribution: In the 2021 Census, respondents could select 1 of 3 options for the sex question: male, female or non-binary sex. Census data is only available for responses recorded as male or female.
3. Speaks a language other than English: Refers to individuals who use a non-English language in their household. The ABS collects this data through the Census.
4. Workers who need assistance with core activities: Are workers with a profound or severe core activity limitation in one or more areas of self-care, mobility and communication.
5. New workers expected: Refers to the estimated number of people needed to enter the workforce in each industry, occupation or region over a specified timeframe. It combines 2 elements:
- Employment growth – new jobs created as businesses and services expand
- Retirements – workers aged over 50 who are expected to permanently leave the workforce, based on patterns observed in tax and census data.
This figure shows how many new workers may be needed to both fill new roles and replace people exiting due to retirement. These are projections – informed estimates based on past trends, government policy and population forecasts.
6. TAFE study pathways: Refers to government-funded Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses that upon completion, provide a pathway into occupations. These pathways include courses at the same or lower skill level than the related ANZSCO 4-digit occupation or courses at a higher skill level with no barriers to entry such as prior qualifications or prerequisites. VET course pathways reflect funding as of November 2025 and the courses included in the 2026 Training Needs List. Funding for VET courses is regularly updated and is subject to change.
7. Free TAFE: Refers to Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses for which the Victorian Government provides free tuition for eligible students. The Free TAFE list reflects funding as of November 2025 and courses included in the 2026 Training Needs List. Funding for VET courses is regularly updated and is subject to change.
8. Regions: Are groupings of local government areas (LGAs) that align to the Victorian Government’s regional partnerships and former metropolitan partnerships.
9. Skill level: Reflects the level of educational attainment, training or experience needed to perform an occupation’s tasks. Skill levels:
- Skill level 1: Occupations typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher
- Skill level 2: Occupations typically require an associate degree, Advanced Diploma or Diploma
- Skill level 3: Occupations typically require a Certificate III (including apprenticeship) or a Certificate IV
- Skill level 4: Occupations typically require a Certificate III (non-apprenticeship pathway) or a Certificate II
- Skill level 5: Occupations typically require a Certificate I or compulsory secondary education.
10. Median earnings: Is the estimated annual median earnings of full-time non-managerial employees in a selected occupation across Australia, based on ABS data from May 2023.
11. Retention rate: Measures the proportion of workers who remain in the same occupation from one financial year to the next, based on ATO data from 2021-22.
9 Appendix 2: Data sources
Industry snapshot
Workforce overview
Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Workforce profile
- Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025
- ABS, Census, Age in five-year groups by sex, ANZSIC1, 2021
- ABS, Census, Level of highest educational attainment, ANZSIC1, 2021.
Projections
Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Regional outlook
Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Skills demand
Lightcast, ANZ Postings, Victorian Skills Authority's analysis, 2024.
Skills supply
- NCVER, Total VET Activity (TVA) program enrolments, government-funded courses in Victoria, 2015 to 2023, VOCSTATS
- Australian Government Department of Education, higher education student enrolment by 6-digit ASCED Field of Education, 2024.
Workforce profile
Employment
Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Workforce profile
- ABS, Census, Age in five-year groups by sex, ANZSIC1, 2021
- ABS, Census, Level of highest educational attainment, ANZSIC1, 2021.
Workforce diversity
- ABS, Census, Indigenous status ANZSIC1, 2021
- ABS, Census, Language used at home, ANZSIC1, 2021
- ABS, Census, Indigenous status ANZSIC1, 2021.
Top employing occupations
- ABS, Census, Age in five-year groups by sex, ANZSIC1, 2021
- ABS, Census, Industry of employment and labour force status by state, ANZSIC1, ANZSCO4, 2021
- ABS, Census, Level of highest educational attainment, ANZSIC1, 2021.
Workforce projections
- Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Top growing occupations
Employment
Victorian Skills Authority, Total new workers expected modelling, based on DJSIR employment projections, 2025.
Skill level
ABS, Census, Occupation skill level (OCSKP), ANZSCO4, 2021.
Annual median earnings
ABS, Survey of employee earnings and hours, May 2023.
Retention rate
Australian Taxation Office, Occupation transition 2010-11 to 2021-22 income years.
Skills needs
- Lightcast, ANZ Postings, Victorian Skills Authority's analysis, 2024 and 2019 to 2024.
Training activity
- NCVER, Total VET Activity (TVA) program enrolments, government-funded courses in Victoria, 2015 to 2023, VOCSTATS
- Australian Government Department of Education, higher education student enrolment by 6-digit ASCED Field of Education, 2024.