U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration https://www.onetonline.org 15m 3,707 #insights
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.
Sample of reported job titles:
Continuous Miner Operator Helper, Driller Helper, Driller’s Assistant, Longwall Machine Operator Helper, Miner Helper, Powderman, Salt Miner
Tasks
Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems.
Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites.
Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
Organize materials to prepare for use.
Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
Clean and prepare sites for excavation or boring.
Load materials into well holes or into equipment, using hand tools.
Provide assistance to extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers and derrick operators.
Collect and examine geological matter, using hand tools and testing devices.
Signal workers to start geological material extraction or boring.
Dismantle extracting and boring equipment used for excavation, using hand tools.
Technology Skills
Hot Technologies are requirements frequently included in employer job postings.
Work Activities
Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment — Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Communicating with People Outside the Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Detailed Work Activities
Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
Monitor extraction operations.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.
Operate mining equipment.
Maintain drilling equipment.
Select construction materials.
Collect geological samples.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.
Prepare excavation or extraction sites for commissioning or decommissioning.
Load materials into construction equipment.
Work Context
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 100% responded “Every day.”
Duration of Typical Work Week — 95% responded “More than 40 hours.”
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment — 89% responded “Every day.”
Face-to-Face Discussions — 88% responded “Every day.”
Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 76% responded “Every day.”
Exposed to Contaminants — 81% responded “Every day.”
Outdoors, Exposed to Weather — 89% responded “Every day.”
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled — 85% responded “Every day.”
Work With Work Group or Team — 65% responded “Extremely important.”
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 75% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures — 60% responded “Every day.”
Contact With Others — 72% responded “Constant contact with others.”
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions — 60% responded “Every day.”
Coordinate or Lead Others — 11% responded “Fairly important.”
In an Open Vehicle or Equipment — 66% responded “Every day.”
Physical Proximity — 60% responded “Moderately close (at arm’s length).”
Freedom to Make Decisions — 23% responded “Limited freedom.”
Frequency of Decision Making — 68% responded “Every day.”
Responsible for Others’ Health and Safety — 65% responded “Very high responsibility.”
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 60% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 23% responded “Important results.”
Structured versus Unstructured Work — 47% responded “Some freedom.”
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment — 64% responded “Every day.”
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 45% responded “Extremely important.”
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment — 41% responded “Extremely important.”
Telephone — 46% responded “Every day.”
Consequence of Error — 56% responded “Extremely serious.”
Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — 47% responded “Very high responsibility.”
Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body — 32% responded “Less than half the time.”
Spend Time Standing — 61% responded “More than half the time.”
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings — 44% responded “Every day.”
Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting — 38% responded “Every day.”
Spend Time Walking and Running — 35% responded “About half the time.”
Time Pressure — 40% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
Exposed to High Places — 31% responded “Never.”
Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — 35% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection — 39% responded “Every day.”
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration — 38% responded “Every day.”
Level of Competition — 32% responded “Moderately competitive.”
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 38% responded “Extremely important.”
Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — 46% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
Frequency of Conflict Situations — 37% responded “Once a year or more but not every month.”
Job Zone
- Title
- Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Related Experience
- Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
- Job Training
- 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.
- Job Zone Examples
- These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
- SVP Range
- 3 months to 1 year of preparation (4.0 to < 6.0)
Training & Credentials
- State training
- Local training
- Certifications
- Apprenticeships
- Have a career path or location in mind? Visit Apprenticeship.gov
external site
to find apprenticeship opportunities near you.
Skills
Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operations Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Repairing — Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting — Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Knowledge
Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Transportation — Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- responded:
Post-secondary certificate required - responded:
Associate’s degree required
Abilities
Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Reaction Time — The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.
Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without “giving out” or fatiguing.
Depth Perception — The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Rate Control — The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Auditory Attention — The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Hearing Sensitivity — The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Perceptual Speed — The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Response Orientation — The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
Flexibility of Closure — The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Gross Body Coordination — The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
Gross Body Equilibrium — The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Spatial Orientation — The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Interests
Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Work Styles
Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Independence — Job requires developing one’s own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Wages & Employment Trends
- Median wages (2021)
- $18.15 hourly, $37,760 annual
- State wages
- Local wages
- Employment (2020)
- 12,600 employees
- Projected growth (2020-2030)
Much faster than average (15% or higher)- Projected job openings (2020-2030)
- 1,900
- State trends
- Top industries (2020)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021 wage data
external site
and 2020-2030 employment projections
external site
.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2020-2030). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Job Openings on the Web
- State job openings
- Local job openings
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
Actively assisted with the O*NET data collection, helping to identify occupational experts who can be surveyed about their work in the occupation.
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