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Farmworkers & Laborers, Crop

Also called: Farm Laborer, Harvester, Orchard Worker, Field Irrigation Worker

What they do:
Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; cleaning, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
On the job, you would:
  • Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
  • Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.
  • Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical
Business
  • human resources (HR)

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Controlled Movement
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
Hand and Finger Use
  • hold or move items with your hands
  • keep your arm or hand steady

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Cooperation
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Self Control

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
  • Farm Works Software Trac
Mobile location based services software
  • Global positioning system GPS software
Internet browser software
  • Web browser software

Education

Education: (rated 1 of 5)
some high school or
high school diploma
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$18,690
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about farmworkers and laborers, crop.