Shipwright
What the work is
Constructs, fits out and repairs ships.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Studies and understands detailed design drawings and specifications for ships
- Chooses appropriate materials for constructing various parts of ships considering strength, durability and weight
- Constructs ship frameworks, hulls and decks using hand and power tools and advanced machinery, ensuring accurate alignment and fitting
- Fits and installs parts of ships such as engines, propellors and navigation equipment in compliance with design specifications
- Repairs and maintains ships to ensure they are seaworthy
- Inspects and tests ships structures and systems for quality and functionality
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a rail network control centre watching a busy suburban line. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A disrupted morning is untangled and the trains are running to time by lunch
- A boat you rebuilt slides back into the water and floats exactly as it should
- You find the one faulty part that has been puzzling everyone for a week
Hard days
- A signal failure at peak hour, with phones ringing and every train asking for a decision
- Working in a cold shed or a hot hull when the deadline for the job is fixed
- Telling an owner their boat or equipment needs far more work than they hoped
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 399938, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.