Australian Water Occupation Framework (AWOF)
The Australian Water Occupations Framework was developed from the need for national consensus on common roles, to list alternative titles and provide a guide for their training in nationally endorsed qualifications.
The water industry aims to improve national workforce planning and national representation of the industry by adopting the framework that was developed in 2013-14.
- Defines and clarifies roles within the water industry nationally
- Assists with building the case for expansion and improved representation in the ANZSCO codes and for data collection
- Recognises the skills required of individuals responsible for the provision of drinking water and treatment of sewage in Australian communities
- Highlights gaps for further development and improvement of the training package
Streams
The framework divides the occupations linked to vocational qualifications into streams; source, networks, treatment, hydrography, trade waste, irrigation supply and others. These streams can be accessed via the menu below.

Source
Catchment/Headworks
Occupations in the source stream include occupations in catchment, weirs, locks, dams, rivers, reservoirs, bulk water, and groundwater management.
Operational Occupations
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Occupation | Typical workplace tasks | Qualification & Alternative titles |
Bore Fields Operator | Monitoring, operating and maintaining bore extraction.
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Qualification: Certificate II
Assistant Groundwater Extraction Operator, Groundwater Extraction Operator, Water Officer |
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Bulkwater Operator | Monitoring, operating and maintaining bulkwater infrastructure.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Assistant Bulkwater Supply Operator, Bulkwater Supply Operator, Bulkwater Transfer Operator, Trunk Mains Operator, Water Officer, Water Source/Systems Operator |
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Catchment Operator (Compliance & Enforcement) | Checking and enforcing compliance with legislation and regulation in the catchment.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Catchment Officer Ranger, Surface Water Operator |
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Catchment Operator (Land Management) | Inspecting and maintaining the catchment zone.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Assistant Catchment Officer, Catchment Officer, Ranger, Surface Water Operator |
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Catchment Operator (Technical) | Operating the technical facilities around the catchment, e.g. bores and communication systems.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Dams Safety Surveillance Officer, Reservoir Officer, Surface Water Operator |
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Dams Operator | Operating routine dam functions.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Assistant Reservoir Operator, Assistant Dams Officer, Dams Safety Surveillance Officer, Reservoir/Storage Operator, Surface Water Operator |
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River Operator | Operating and maintaining river infrastructure and monitoring river conditions.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Assistant Dams Operator, Dams Operator, Channel Attendant, Head Works Officer, Lock Master, River Water/Weir Operator, Water Bailiff |
Supervisory Occupations
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Occupation | Typical workplace tasks | Qualification & Alternative titles |
Supervisor (Source) | Monitoring, analysing, planning and optimising source water activities.
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Qualification: Certificate IV
Bulkwater Coordinator, Catchment Supervisor/Coordinator, Catchment Management Coordinator, Dam Operations Coordinator, Diversions Inspector, Groundwater Supervisor/Coordinator, Reservoir Operations Coordinator, Surface Water Operations Supervisor, Senior Catchment Ranger, Senior Water Systems Operator, Storage Supervisor, Superintendent, Water Systems Operations Team Leader/Coordinator |
Specialist Occupations
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Occupation | Typical workplace tasks | Qualification & Alternative titles |
Diversions Officer | Monitoring river extractions, bores and licence compliance.
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Qualification: Certificate III
Water Compliance Officer |
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Dam Safety Instrumentation Specialist | Operating and monitoring dam safety instruments.
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Qualification: Certificate IV
N/A |
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Salinity Interception Officer | Monitoring and operating salinity interception schemes.
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Qualification: Certificate IV
Salinity Control Officer |

Network
Occupations in the networks stream include operating, constructing and maintaining water and wastewater networks.
Operational Occupations
Supervisory Occupations
Specialist Occupations

Treatment
Occupations within the treatment stream include occupations in water treatment, wastewater treatment and recycled water management.
Operational Occupations
Supervisory Occupations
Specialist Occupations

Hydrography
Occupations within the hydrography stream include occupations in measuring, collecting and analysing hydrometric information and the review of accumulated data to develop water management plans for inland water systems including rivers, lakes, stormwater and sewage.
Operational Occupations
Supervisory Occupations

Trade Waste
Occupations within the trade waste stream include occupations in compliance, licencing and regulations of trade waste management.
Operational Occupations
Supervisory Occupations

Irrigation
Operational Occupations

Other
Operational Occupations
CONTACT WIOA
Address:
PO Box 6012, Shepparton Victoria Australia 3632
24 New Dookie Road, Shepparton Victoria Australia 3630
Telephone:
03 5821 6744
Email:
info@wioa.org.au
ABN: 83 123 468 422