Build your career as a Crop Worker

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Crop Worker

A career as a Crop Worker is a hands-on role in Australia’s thriving agriculture industry, playing a crucial part in planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops. With the demand for fresh produce continually growing, skilled workers are essential to maintaining efficient farm operations. This role offers opportunities to work outdoors, gain practical experience, and develop expertise in modern farming techniques.

If you enjoy working with nature or have a passion for gardening or farming as a hobby, turning that passion into a career as a Crop Worker is a great option. Now is the perfect time to start your career and contribute to Australia’s essential food production industry. 

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EMPLOYED 21,500
PART-TIME SHARE 36%
AVERAGE FULL-TIME HOURS 42
MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS $1,258

The career outlook for Crop Workers in Australia is positive, with the agriculture sector continuing to grow due to increasing demand for food production. As the industry modernises with new technology and sustainable farming practices, there are opportunities for Crop Workers to develop specialised skills in areas like organic farming, precision agriculture, and crop management. Seasonal and full-time positions are available, and with experience, workers can move into supervisory or farm management roles.

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What can you expect from working as a Crop Worker?

A Crop worker assists in the cultivation and harvesting of various crops, performing tasks related to planting, maintaining, and collecting produce. Key duties typically include:

  • Planting: Planting trees, seeds, seedlings, roots, bulbs, vines, and other plants using hand tools and farm machinery.
  • Trellis Construction: Building trellises for climbing vegetables and vines to support their growth.
  • Farm Machine Operation: Operating farm machinery to cultivate, fertilise, spray, and harvest fruit, nuts, grains, and vegetables.
  • Spraying & Pest Control: Spraying trees, vines, and other plants with chemicals to control weed growth, insects, fungus, and diseases.
  • Crop Maintenance: Thinning, weeding, and hoeing row crops, as well as pruning trees and vines to ensure healthy growth.
  • Irrigation: Irrigating land to support crop growth and optimise yields.
  • Harvesting: Selecting and picking fruit, nuts, grains, and vegetables based on size and ripeness, discarding any rotting or over-ripened produce.
  • Grading & Packing: Grading, sorting, bunching, and packing produce into containers for distribution.
  • Loading & Transporting: Loading filled containers of fruit, nuts, grains, and vegetables onto trucks for delivery.

How to become a Crop Worker?

Becoming a Crop Worker doesn’t require formal qualifications, but having a background in agriculture or farm work can be beneficial. Many employers provide on-the-job training, but completing a relevant course in horticulture or agriculture can give you an edge. Online courses can help you learn essential skills like crop management, soil health, and pest control, making you more competitive in the industry.

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Certificate II in Horticulture

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Certificate III in Horticulture

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*The information on this page is sourced from the Jobs and Skills Australia website, based on their occupational data collected in May 2024. Where job titles may not be exact matches, related job areas have been used. This data is intended as a guide only.

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