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Sales assistant

Find out more about working as a sales assistant and the possible pathways to job opportunities.

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Sales assistants support daily operations in shops and warehouses. This is a great role if you want to get started in retail.

Find out what a sales assistant does and the related Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses and pathways you can take to secure a job.

What is a sales assistant?

Sales assistants work across many industries assisting customers to purchase goods and services. As a sales assistant you may:

Product knowledge and a passion for customer service are essential to the role.

Find out more about sales assistants(opens in a new window) and these related jobs on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

Explore these related TAFE and training courses on the Victorian Skills Gateway(opens in a new window):

You may be eligible for government funding(opens in a new window) to help pay for your course.

Median salary

The median weekly earnings for sales assistants (general) in Australia is $1,112.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia(opens in a new window)

Note this salary is current as of January 2025 and is indicative only. A range of salaries apply to different roles across the industry.

Job demand in Victoria

Below are the employment projections for sales assistant (general) jobs in Victoria. Figures show the number of workers in 2024 and the new workers expected to enter the workforce by 2027 and 2034.

‘New workers expected’ accounts for workers adding new jobs to the economy and replacing retirees over the next 3 and 10 years. These projections are estimates only. There will be additional jobs available as people move between jobs and industries.

Region Workers 2024 New workers expected by 2027 New workers expected by 2034
Victoria 152,767 12,049 54,413
Melbourne – inner metropolitan 14,871 1,461 5,915
Melbourne – inner south-east metropolitan 12,599 746 3,601
Melbourne – southern metropolitan 24,679 1,645 7,976
Melbourne – northern metropolitan 19,506 1,746 8,235
Melbourne – eastern metropolitan 20,700 1,237 6,255
Melbourne – western metropolitan 20,412 2,329 10,104
Ballarat and surrounds (Central Highlands) 4,608 336 1,582
Bendigo, Echuca and surrounds (Loddon Campaspe) 6,312 469 2,049
Geelong, Colac and surrounds (Barwon) 9,133 770 3,647
Gippsland 7,229 623 2,159
Horsham and surrounds (Wimmera Southern Mallee) 1,202 40 220
Mildura, Swan Hill and surrounds (Mallee) 2,603 84 485
Shepparton, Seymour and surrounds (Goulburn) 3,024 191 778
Wangaratta, Wodonga and surrounds (Ovens Murray) 3,091 258 825
Warrnambool, Hamilton and surrounds (Great South Coast) 2,795 115 581

Source: Victorian Skills Authority Employment Projections Dashboard

Resources to plan your next steps

Visit our retail industry profile to find out about:

Explore growing industries in your region

Training and careers in your region

Explore training, skills and job opportunities in your area of Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of job you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Training and careers in growing industries

Learn about high demand industries in Victoria. Find out where you could work, what kind of jobs you could do, and what training you’ll need.

Updated 20 December 2024

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