Description
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
- Investigative
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Initiative
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
Tasks
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Detailed Work Activities
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Facilities management software
- Office suite software
- Operating system software
Abilities
- Control Precision
- Depth Perception
- Multilimb Coordination
- Near Vision
- Far Vision
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Equipment Maintenance
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
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 - Compaction Equipment RollerCertifying Organization
National Center for Construction Education and Research
Type
Core
Certificate name
Forklift Inspector & OperatorCertifying Organization
Crane Institute of America
Type
Core
Certificate name
Heavy Equipment Operator: DozerCertifying Organization
National Center for Construction Education and Research
Type
Product/Equipment
Certificate name
Certified Equipment ManagerCertifying Organization
Association of Equipment Management Professionals
Type
Advanced
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 | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $47,435 |
| Median (50%) | $56,381 |
| High (90%) | $68,350 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $54,508 |
| Mid Level | $63,028 |
| Senior Level | $69,989 |
| Expert Level | $81,071 |
Employability
There are currently 468,000 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 487,600 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 4%.
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 4%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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