Browse Traffic Control jobs

There are two main types of traffic control job, defined by whether or not they require you to become an accredited traffic controller. If you're looking for work as a school crossing supervisor or directing traffic within a car park, you do not need to become accredited, so virtually anyone who's calm and level-headed can do it. If, however, you are looking for work as a traffic controller working at or around a building site or any area where a partial or complete road closure is taking place, you will need to become accredited. As you might expect, work as an accredited traffic controller pays more money than other jobs involving traffic control because of the higher level of training and responsibility it entails.

Whichever route you take, traffic control involves being authoritative and in control, working in a public-facing role and occasionally dealing with people becoming upset or aggressive.

Responsibilities & Skills

You will be responsible for ensuring the safe passage of traffic and pedestrians in areas where there has been a partial or complete road closure. There is a risk of injury or even death if the job is not done properly, which is why some forms of traffic control require accreditation.

Other forms of traffic control entail less responsibility, as the risks are generally lower. However, you will still need to be calm and patient. Road rage is, unfortunately, a real thing: People get unreasonably angry in cars because of the relative difficulty in picking up cues like tone of voice, facial expression and body language of other road users. For that reason, you will need to be exceptionally calm and level-headed in order to do this job effectively.

• A calm approach and authoritative manner is absolutely vital to the role
• You will need to be able-bodied, as all types of traffic control require you to be on your feet for large amounts of time
• You must be willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• There is some level of danger to your person, so you must be willing to work with that and take responsibility for your safety and the safety of others

Required Qualifications

• Traffic control accreditation (run mostly on a state-by-state basis, see 'Useful Links', below)

Useful Links

• General training for controlling traffic at a work site
• Traffic Control Accreditation (Western Australia)
• Traffic Control Accreditation (Queensland)