What they do
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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.
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| Also called: |
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Blast Hole Driller, Diamond Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Hard Rock Drill Operator, Highwall Drill Operator, Rock Drill Operator, Underground Drill Operator, Water Well Driller, Well Driller
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Wages
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| Vermont - 2023 |
| Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
| 10% |
$ 25.97 |
n/a |
| 25% |
$ 28.35 |
n/a |
| Median |
$ 29.41 |
n/a |
| 75% |
$ 30.37 |
n/a |
| 90% |
$ 50.56 |
n/a |
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| Average |
$ 32.02 |
n/a |
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| More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters* |
| United States - 2020 |
| Industry | Percent of total |
- Heavy and civil engineering construction
| 32% |
- Specialty trade contractors
| 13% |
- Mining (except oil and gas)
| 11% |
- Support activities for mining
| 11% |
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
| 9% |
| * You're seeing information for "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" because it includes "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" for which industries of employment information is not available. |
| 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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- Administration and Management
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.
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- Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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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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- Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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| More at O*NET |
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Skills
| People in this career often have these skills: |
- Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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- Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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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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- Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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| More at O*NET |
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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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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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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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- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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- Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
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| More at O*NET |
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Tasks
| On the job, you would: |
- Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
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- Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
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- Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
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- Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
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- Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
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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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| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters* |
| Vermont |
| 2020 employment |
66 |
| 2030 employment |
66 |
Annual percent change
(compounded) |
0.0% |
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations) |
8 |
| * You're seeing information for "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" because it includes "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" for which projected employment information is not available. |
| More at Occupational Projections |
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Education and Experience:
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters* |
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Long-term on-the-job training
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| * You're seeing information for "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas; and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" because it includes "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" for which education and experience information is not available. |
| 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.
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- Physical activity is Very Important
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- Level of activity is High
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| Low |  | High |
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| Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
| Some Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require
over 3 months up to and including 1 year
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 | | 12% |
High school diploma
or equivalent | | 73% |
| Less than high school diploma | | 15% |
| More at O*NET |
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Licensing
| Vermont may require an occupational license: |
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| Select a license for details |
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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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- 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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- 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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- Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
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| More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
| In general, what you might do: |
- 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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- 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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- 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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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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| More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
| What you might do in a day: |
- Fabricate parts or components.
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- Operate drilling equipment.
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- Operate pumps or compressors.
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- Pour materials into or on designated areas.
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- Select construction 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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