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Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$59,600	2100	4.0%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$59,600

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

2100

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

4.0%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Operate drilling equipment.
Measure work site dimensions.
Operate drilling equipment.
Select construction equipment.
Operate drilling equipment.
Select construction equipment.
Install drilling equipment.
Drill holes in earth or rock.
Remove debris or vegetation from work sites.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Maintain drilling equipment.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Record operational or environmental data.
Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
Assemble products or production equipment.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Pour materials into or on designated areas.
Operate pumps or compressors.
Operate drilling equipment.
Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
Record operational or environmental data.
Collect geological samples.
Operate drilling equipment.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
Decontaminate equipment or sites to remove hazardous or toxic substances.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Prepare excavation or extraction sites for commissioning or decommissioning.
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Determine appropriate locations for operations or installations.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Collect geological samples.
Fabricate parts or components.
Develop equipment or component configurations.
Monitor extraction operations.

Work Values

Independence

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Achievement

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Tasks

Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
Document geological formations encountered during work.
Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
Record drilling progress and geological data.
Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.
Fabricate well casings.
Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.
Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.
Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.
Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.
Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.
Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.
Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.
Design well pumping systems.
Signal crane operators to move equipment.
Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.
Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.
Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.
Monitor drilling operations, by checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.

Work Styles

Persistence

Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Achievement/Effort

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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