How to become an Apiarist

Also called: Beekeeper

Plans, organises, controls, coordinates and operates apiaries to produce honey, queen bee pollen, beeswax and royal jelly, breed queen bees, and pollinate crops.

Main tasks

• Plans and coordinates the breeding and raising of bees for apiary operations, including the production of honey and other bee products, packaging of bee products and the provision of pollination services
• Harvests and processes honey and other bee products such as beeswax, propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen from hives
• Breeds queen bees and manages the process of queen bee rearing
• Inspects and monitors hives for signs of disease, pests and other issues
• Provides nutrition, medication and pest control to maintain the health of bee colonies and prevent the spread of pests and disease
• Directs and oversees general apiary activities, including the provision and maintenance of apiary infrastructure, such as hives and supporting apparatus
• Oversees the transportation of bee hives to provide pollination services for crops
• Maintains and evaluates records of apiary activities, including hive inspections, honey production and breeding records
• Manages apiary business capital, including budgeting, taxation, debt and loan management
• May select, train and supervise staff or contractors in apiary operations

Ways in

• University: Agriculture & Environment degrees, Offered by 27 universities in Australia
• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Beekeeping (AHC31824)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 78,900 people work in this job group now, and about 79,800 are projected by 2035. (+1.2%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Goat Farmer
• Horse Breeder
• Pig Farmer
• Poultry Farmer

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Apiarist?

Ways in include: Agriculture & Environment degrees; Certificate III in Beekeeping.

Is an Apiarist a growing career in Australia?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 78,900 people now and 79,800 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become an Apiarist?

Usually not. Only 16% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Agriculture & Environment degrees; Certificate III in Beekeeping.

Will AI change the work of an Apiarist?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04