Shearers and Wool Classers

Shearers and Wool Classers remove and classify wool and hair from sheep, goats, alpacas and other animals.

**Indicative skill level:**

The occupation Shearer has a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

#### In Australia:

- AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

#### In New Zealand:

- NZQF Level 4 qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

The occupation Wool Classer has a level of skill commensurate with the qualifications and experience outlined below.

##### In Australia:

- AQF Certificate III including at least two years of on-the-job training, or AQF Certificate IV (ANZSCO Skill Level 3)

#### In New Zealand:

- NZQF Diploma (ANZSCO Skill Level 2)

At least three years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualifications listed above. In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

**Tasks include:**

- selecting and preparing shearing equipment - catching and positioning animals for shearing - shearing and removing wool and hair from animals - identifying contaminated fibre and injured, infected and diseased animals - treating skin cuts - returning shorn animals to let-out pens for counting and checking - inspecting fleece to determine its type according to physical characteristics (staple length and strength, fibre diameter, colour) - classing wool into lines to meet processors’ requirements and to optimise growers’ returns - managing wool handling teams - instructing wool handlers and supervising the picking up, skirting, rolling and pressing of fleeces - may service, maintain and repair shearing equipment - may shear stud animals with hand shears or special combs