How to become a Sugar Cane Farm Worker

Performs routine tasks on a sugar cane farm, such as cultivating and fertilising soil, and planting and irrigating crops. May spray pesticides on crops to treat disease and pests.

Main tasks

• Patrols, inspects and reports on the condition of sugar cane crops
• Prepares soil and plants sugar cane setts using hand tools and farm machines
• Undertakes cultivation and maintenance duties, such as thinning and weeding sugar cane crops
• Operates water and irrigation systems for sugar cane crop growth
• Maintains and cleans sugar cane farming infrastructure and equipment, such as sheds, fences and machinery
• May spray sugar cane crops with pesticides to control weed growth, pests, fungus growth and diseases

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Production Horticulture (AHC30624); Certificate II in Production Horticulture (AHC20324)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 24,000 people work in this job group now, and about 25,300 are projected by 2035. (+5.5%)
• 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

• Fruit Picker
• Vegetable Picker
• Cotton Farm Worker
• Fruit Farm Worker
• Grain, Oilseed, Pulse and Pasture Farm Worker
• Mushroom Picker

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Sugar Cane Farm Worker?

Ways in include: Certificate III in Production Horticulture; Certificate II in Production Horticulture.

Is a Sugar Cane Farm Worker a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 24,000 to about 25,300 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Sugar Cane Farm Worker?

Usually not. Only 9% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Production Horticulture; Certificate II in Production Horticulture.

Will AI change the work of a Sugar Cane Farm Worker?

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

Updated 2026-10-04