How to become a Communications Operator
Transmits and receives radio messages by use of morse code, voice and radio teletype.
Main tasks
- Receives and transmits radio messages using morse code, voice and radio teletype
- Monitors and maintains radio equipment
- Follows established procedures and protocols for radio communication
- Maintains communication with other operators, and provides information and assistance to personnel to relay messages accurately and efficiently
- Maintains confidentiality and security of sensitive information transmitted over the radio, and keeps accurate records of all radio communications
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Ambulance Communications (Call-taking) (HLT31020); Certificate IV in Electronics and Communications (UEE40720); Certificate IV in Public Safety (Emergency Communications Centre Operations) (PUA40119); Certificate IV in Telecommunications Engineering Technology (ICT41219); Certificate IV in Ambulance Communications (Dispatch) (HLT41020)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $97,864 a year
- About 30,300 people work in this job group now, and about 32,200 are projected by 2035. (+6.2%)
- AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.
Related jobs
Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz
Questions people ask
How do I become a Communications Operator?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Ambulance Communications (Call-taking); Certificate IV in Electronics and Communications.
How much does a Communications Operator earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $97,864 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Communications Operator a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 30,300 to about 32,200 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Communications Operator?
Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Ambulance Communications (Call-taking); Certificate IV in Electronics and Communications.
Will AI change the work of a Communications Operator?
AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.
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