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Bridge & Lock Tenders

Also called: Lock Tender, Bridge Operator, Bridge Tender

What they do:
Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock operators, and slip bridge operators.
On the job, you would:
  • Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.
  • Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges.
  • Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.

Knowledge

Safety and Government
  • public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design

Skills

Basic Skills
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • communicate by writing
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
Hearing and Speech
  • speak clearly
  • recognize spoken words

Personality

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

Technology

Examples of the technology used in this career will be available soon.

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
$45,940
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about bridge and lock tenders.