Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Overview
SaveJob 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, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
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.
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 Materials
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 watercraft.
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.
Monitoring 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.
Education
Interests
Realistic
100%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Conventional
53%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Investigative
52%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Enterprising
25%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Artistic
17%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Social
17%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
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.