Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.
Demand
Core Tasks
Fabricate well casings.
Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings.
Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns.
Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells.
Document geological formations encountered during work.
Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes.
Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
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.
Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates.
Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations.
Perform pumping tests to assess well performance.
Design well pumping systems.
Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use.
Signal crane operators to move equipment.
Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples.
Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis.
Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes.
Observe electronic graph recorders and flow meters that monitor the water used to flush debris from holes.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Mechanical
70%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Administration and Management
67%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Transportation
67%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Public Safety and Security
66%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Design
62%
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Mathematics
60%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing
59%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Law and Government
57%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Customer and Personal Service
56%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Engineering and Technology
56%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Top 10 Skills
Operations Monitoring
80%
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control
78%
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking
65%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance
65%
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Monitoring
63%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
60%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving
60%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination
60%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Equipment Selection
60%
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Quality Control Analysis
60%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Top 10 Abilities
Control Precision
80%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
78%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Multilimb Coordination
78%
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Reaction Time
78%
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Manual Dexterity
75%
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Depth Perception
73%
The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Near Vision
70%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Rate Control
70%
The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Perceptual Speed
68%
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Deductive Reasoning
65%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Top 10 Work Activities
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
92%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Controlling Machines and Processes
91%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
89%
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
84%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Getting Information
83%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
80%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Handling and Moving Objects
78%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
78%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
77%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
77%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Detailed Work Activities
Operate drilling equipment.
Select construction equipment.
Install drilling equipment.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Remove debris or vegetation from work sites.
Measure work site dimensions.
Maintain drilling equipment.
Record operational or environmental data.
Assemble products or production equipment.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
Fabricate parts or components.
Pour materials into or on designated areas.
Operate pumps or compressors.
Develop equipment or component configurations.
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Determine appropriate locations for operations or installations.
Drill holes in earth or rock.
Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
Decontaminate equipment or sites to remove hazardous or toxic substances.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Prepare excavation or extraction sites for commissioning or decommissioning.
Design energy production or management equipment or systems.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Collect geological samples.
Monitor extraction operations.
Work Context
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Outdoors, Exposed to Weather
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
Education
Interests
Realistic
100%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
72%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
62%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Artistic
29%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
19%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
15%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
88%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
87%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
80%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Stress Tolerance
78%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative
77%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Independence
76%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Concern for Others
75%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Self Control
75%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Persistence
74%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Innovation
73%
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Work Values
Support
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
46%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Relationships
43%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Recognition
34%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
