Construction and extraction occupations

Continuous mining machine operators (O*NET 47-5041.00)

Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the face and load it onto conveyors or into shuttle cars in a continuous operation.

• 2006 employment: 10,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: More slowly than average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Derrick operators, oil and gas (O*NET 47-5011.00)

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud through drill hole.

• 2006 employment: 19,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Decline slowly
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Earth drillers, except oil and gas (O*NET 47-5021.00)

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. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

• 2006 employment: 22,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters (O*NET 47-5031.00)

Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters. Excludes earth drillers, except oil and gas who may also work with explosives.

• 2006 employment: 5,300
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Little or no change
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Fence erectors (O*NET 47-4031.00)

Erect and repair metal and wooden fences and fence gates around highways, industrial establishments, residences, or farms, using hand and power tools.

• 2006 employment: 32,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

First-line supervisors/managers of construction trades and extraction workers (O*NET 47-1011.00)

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.

• 2006 employment: 772,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Work experience in a related occupation

Helpers — brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters (O*NET 47-3011.00)

Help brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, or tile and marble setters by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons or tile and marble setters.

• 2006 employment: 65,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — carpenters (O*NET 47-3012.00)

Help carpenters by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist carpenters.

• 2006 employment: 109,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — electricians (O*NET 47-3013.00)

Help electricians by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist electricians.

• 2006 employment: 105,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — extraction workers (O*NET 47-5081.00)

Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area. Excludes apprentice workers.

• 2006 employment: 25,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Little or no change
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons (O*NET 47-3014.00)

Help painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons.

• 2006 employment: 24,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Little or no change
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (O*NET 47-3015.00)

Help pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, or steamfitters by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters or steamfitters.

• 2006 employment: 85,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Helpers — roofers (O*NET 47-3016.00)

Help roofers by performing duties of lesser skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Excludes apprentice workers, who should be reported with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation. Excludes construction laborers who do not primarily assist roofers.

• 2006 employment: 22,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Short-term on-the-job training

Highway maintenance workers (O*NET 47-4051.00)

Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement, repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road or plow snow from roadway. Excludes tree trimmers and pruners.

• 2006 employment: 145,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Mine cutting and channeling machine operators (O*NET 47-5042.00)

Operate machinery—such as longwall shears, plows, and cutting machines—to cut or channel along the face or seams of coal mines, stone quarries, or other mining surfaces to facilitate blasting, separating, or removing minerals or materials from mines or from the earth's surface. Includes shale planers.

• 2006 employment: 7,900
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: More slowly than average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (O*NET 47-4061.00)

Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.

• 2006 employment: 15,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: More slowly than average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Rock splitters, quarry (O*NET 47-5051.00)

Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammer and wedges.

• 2006 employment: 3,900
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Much faster than average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Roof bolters, mining (O*NET 47-5061.00)

Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.

• 2006 employment: 4,300
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Little or no change
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Rotary drill operators, oil and gas (O*NET 47-5012.00)

Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove petroleum products from the earth and to find and remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.

• 2006 employment: 20,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Decline slowly
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Roustabouts, oil and gas (O*NET 47-5071.00)

Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.

• 2006 employment: 44,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Decline slowly
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners (O*NET 47-4071.00)

Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.

• 2006 employment: 24,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: About as fast as average
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining (O*NET 47-5013.00)

Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stick pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations. Includes fishing-tool technicians.

• 2006 employment: 28,000
• Projected 2006-16 employment change: Decline slowly
• Most significant source of postsecondary education or training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

 

Last Modified Date: December 18, 2007