What they do
Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.
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Also called: |
Delimber Operator, Feller Buncher Operator, Harvester Operator, Loader Operator, Log Processor Operator, Logging Equipment Operator, Logging Shovel Operator, Skidder Driver, Skidder Operator, Yarder Operator
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 15.00 |
$31,200 |
25% |
$ 15.83 |
$32,920 |
Median |
$ 22.57 |
$46,950 |
75% |
$ 24.49 |
$50,950 |
90% |
$ 24.88 |
$51,740 |
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Average |
$ 21.19 |
$44,070 |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
| 64% |
| 14% |
- Wood product manufacturing
| 10% |
- Support activities for agriculture and forestry
| 4% |
| 2% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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- Public Safety and Security
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.
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- Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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- Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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- Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
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- Active Listening
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.
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- Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Realistic
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.
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- Investigative
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.
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- Conventional
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.
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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- Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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- Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
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- Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
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- Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
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- Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.
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- Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
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Southern Vermont Balance of State |
2020 employment |
49 |
2030 employment |
57 |
Annual percent change (compounded) |
1.5% |
Annual projected job openings (due to change and separations) |
9 |
More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical 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. |
- Physical activity is Important
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- Level of activity is Moderate
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Low | | High |
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Job Zone
Little or No Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(Below 4.0) - A typical worker will require
a short demonstration only or up to and including 3 months
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 0% |
Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
Associate's degree | | 0% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 1% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 44% |
Less than high school diploma | | 55% |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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- Reaction Time
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
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- Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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- Multilimb Coordination
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.
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- Depth Perception
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.
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
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- Controlling Machines and Processes
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
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- 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.
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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Inspect equipment or facilities to determine condition or maintenance needs.
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- Maintain forestry, hunting, or agricultural equipment.
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- Operate forestry equipment.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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