How to become a Construction Rigger
Assembles and installs rigging gear such as cables, ropes, pulleys and winches, to lift, lower, move and position equipment, structural steel and other heavy objects.
Main tasks
- Determines the necessary type and size of rigging gear, and inspects and prepares the appropriate rigging gear for the task
- Attaches rigging gear to equipment, structural steel or other heavy objects
- Builds and dismantles cranes and hoists
- Uses mechanical load shifting equipment and associated tools, such as winches, hoists and other lifting equipment, to lift, lower, move, position and secure objects
- Maintains and repairs rigging gear
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Rigging (CPC30720); Certificate III in Scaffolding (CPC30920); Certificate IV in Mobile Crane Operations (TLI40724); Certificate II in Construction (CPC20120); Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations (CPC32920)
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $151,320 a year
- About 26,400 people work in this job group now, and about 27,600 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)
- 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.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Construction Rigger?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Rigging; Certificate III in Scaffolding.
How much does a Construction Rigger earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $151,320 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Construction Rigger a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 26,400 to about 27,600 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Construction Rigger?
Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Rigging; Certificate III in Scaffolding.
Will AI change the work of a Construction Rigger?
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