Meat Boner and Slicer
Shortage Now
States / territories with a shortage signal
Snapshot
Median salary
A$81,500
Full-time annual
People employed
6,100
Estimated workforce
Shortage signal
No shortage (national)
Categories identify where a shortage occurs; they are not a severity score.
What you actually do
Trims and cuts meat from bones, sides and carcasses.
Specialisations
Skills & main tasks
Official main tasks
- Receives and inspects carcasses of slaughtered livestock for bruises, blood clots and other matter to remove
- Operates controls to direct and drop carcasses from supply rails to boning tables
- Cuts and separates meat, fat and tissue from bones, and washes, scrapes and trims fat, gristle and other unwanted matter from meat
- Operates and maintains meat cutting and slicing equipment to cut sides and quarters of meat into standard meat cuts
- Removes internal fat, blood clots and bruises to prepare cuts of meat for further processing or packing
- Cleans and sanitises work area and equipment, and follows safety and hygiene regulations while handling meat
- Collaborates with other meat processing workers to ensure efficient workflow
- Assists in receiving and storing meat products
Where people work
State / territory distribution
Highest education
Share of workers
Education & work pattern
Part-time
21%
Female rate
20%
Median age
35
2030 & 2035 employment outlook
to 2030
-6%
-311 projected jobs
to 2035
-3%
-188 projected jobs
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OSCA skill level 4
A classification attribute describing the occupation; it is not a personal eligibility or qualification decision.
Official VET pathways
Certificate III in Meat Processing (Boning Room)
Occupation ready
Certificate III in Meat Processing (Food Services)
Occupation ready
Real jobs right now
Live signal from SEEK, Indeed & moreCurrent vacancy signal
QLD · May 2026
17
ACT · May 2026
0
VIC · May 2026
10
NT · May 2026
0
SA · May 2026
3
NSW · May 2026
4
Where could this career take you?
Compare state-level shortage signals, salary context, study options and visa information for Meat Boner and Slicer.
Regional demand
Largest employment base
#1 Ipswich
721 estimated employed
- 1
Ipswich
721 employed
QLD
+19.17%
year on year
- 2
Toowoomba
645 employed
QLD
+15.8%
year on year
- 3
Central Queensland
580 employed
QLD
+24.2%
year on year
- 4
Darling Downs - Maranoa
529 employed
QLD
+18.88%
year on year
- 5
Melbourne - West
503 employed
VIC
+5.23%
year on year
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Ranked by current shortage signal and projected employment growth.
Workers in this occupation
10,855
Moved in from another occupation
1,505
Moved to another occupation
1,495
Recommendation score: shortage = 2 points, no shortage = 1 point, plus 1 point for each 10% of projected growth to 2035.
- 1
4
points
- 2
4
points
- 3
3
points
- 4
3
points
- 5
1
points
Data status
- Classification
- OSCA 831231
- Last updated
- Refresh pending
- Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia OSL · Jobs and Skills Australia DOM · ABS OSCA · OSCA 2024 — Jobs and Skills Australia
Labour-market data coverage
- Shortage signal and drivers: JSA Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO unit group where applicable).
- Work profile, state distribution and education: JSA Occupation Profiles (ANZSCO mapped).
- Regional employment: JSA NERO, June 2026.
- Career-move observations: JSA DOM, last available 2020–21. Observed Australian worker transitions are not personalised recommendations; many contractors and sole traders are excluded, as are transitions below 10 workers.
- Vacancy signal: JSA Internet Vacancy Index, 3-month average (ANZSCO unit group).
- Employment outlook: JSA employment projections (ANZSCO unit group).
- Training pathways: JSA Training Occupation Pathways.
Data confidence: estimate. A missing CSOL flag is not a finding of visa ineligibility; check the current Home Affairs list.