Description
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Concern for Others
- Leadership
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
Tasks
- Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
- Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
- Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
- Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
- Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Detailed 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.
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- 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.
- Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Performing General Physical Activities - Performing general physical activities includes doing 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.
- 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.
Technology Skills
- Data base user interface and query software
- Industrial control software
- Mobile location based services software
- Internet browser software
- Map creation software
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Heavy Equipment Operator: BackhoeCertifying Organization
National Center for Construction Education and Research
Type
Product/Equipment
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
Income Percentile | Income |
---|---|
Low (10%) | $NaN |
Median (50%) | $NaN |
High (90%) | $NaN |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).
Experience | Income |
---|---|
Entry Level | $50,000 |
Mid Level | $100,000 |
Senior Level | $150,000 |
Employability
There are currently 1,200 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 1,200 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 2%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 2%
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).