How to become a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator

Operates plant and equipment to load, unload, move, store and stack bulk materials such as grain, sugar and mineral ore.

Main tasks

• Loads bulk materials onto trucks, trains or ships
• Unloads bulk materials from trucks, trains or ships
• Moves, stores and stacks bulk materials
• Monitors and adjusts plant and equipment settings for efficiency and safety
• Performs routine maintenance and inspections on plant and equipment
• Records and maintains accurate documentation of materials handled

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Resource Processing (RII20520); Certificate III in Resource Processing (RII30420)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $104,988 a year
• About 25,500 people work in this job group now, and about 27,200 are projected by 2035. (+6.9%)
• 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

• Boiler or Engine Operator
• Concrete Batching Plant Operator
• Concrete Pump Operator
• Railway Signal Operator
• Weighbridge Operator

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator?

Ways in include: Certificate II in Resource Processing; Certificate III in Resource Processing.

How much does a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $104,988 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 25,500 to about 27,200 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate II in Resource Processing; Certificate III in Resource Processing.

Will AI change the work of a Bulk Materials Handling Plant Operator?

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