Occupational categories

Learn about the occupational categories within the engineering profession.

In Australia, roles in the engineering profession fall within three occupational categories. A fourth occupational category is available for the purposes of migrant skills assessment.

These categories are based on educational qualifications and experience.

Professional engineers hold a four-year professional engineering degree that’s accredited or recognised by Engineers Australia. 

Professional engineers can also hold comparable overseas qualifications or a degree that’s accredited by a signatory to the Washington Accord.

As a professional engineer, you have the skills to:

  • focus on overall systems
  • develop and apply new engineering practices
  • apply leadership and management skills
  • pursue engineering opportunities in a holistic way, taking environmental, community and social issues into consideration
  • solve diverse problems.

Stage 1 competency standards for professional engineers.

Stage 2 competency standards for professional engineers.

Engineering technologists hold a three-year engineering technology degree that’s accredited or recognised by Engineers Australia.

Engineering technologists can also hold comparable overseas qualifications or a degree that’s accredited by a signatory to the Sydney Accord.

As an engineering technologist, you have the skills to:

  • focus on interactions with the system
  • modify and adapt established engineering practices
  • advance engineering technology.

Stage 1 competency standards for engineering technologists.

Stage 2 competency standards for engineering technologists.

Engineering associates hold a two-year advanced diploma or associate degree of engineering that’s accredited or recognised by Engineers Australia. 

Engineering associates can also hold a comparable overseas qualification or a degree that’s accredited by a signatory to the Dublin Accord. The qualification needs to have a strong practical focus.

As an engineering associate, you have the skills to:

  • focus on specific elements of the system
  • work within codes and apply established practices and procedures.

Stage 1 competency standards for engineering associates.

Stage 2 competency standards for engineering associates.

Overseas engineers whose qualifications don’t fit one of the three categories, can apply for a migrant skills assessment using the occupational category of Engineering manager. This occupation isn’t an engineering occupation, it belongs to the Managers ANZCO group listed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Engineering managers hold a Bachelor of Engineering degree or comparable qualification in a field related to engineering plus relevant experience. As an engineering manager, you have the skills to:

  • formulate, implement and monitor engineering strategies, policies and plans
  • direct the administration and review of engineering operations for an organisation.

Learn more about the competencies for engineering managers.