Median Annual Wage: $43,540
Education: High school diploma or equivalent (46%); Less than high school diploma (28%); Post-secondary certificate (15%)
Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)
Related Job Titles: Driller; Blaster; Blast Hole Driller; Drill Operator; Well Driller; Blasting Production Technician; Hard Rock Drill Operator; Highwall Drill Operator; Overburden Drill Operator; Rock Drill Operator
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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.
More Construction and Extraction Careers
- Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
- Monitor drilling operations, checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment.
- Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
- Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
- Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
- Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
- Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
- Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
- Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
- Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
- Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
- Record drilling progress and geological data.
- Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment.
- Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Source: O*NET OnLine information for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.