What they do
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Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures.
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| Also called: |
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Blast Hole Driller, Blaster, Explosive Technician, Powderman, Unexploded Ordnance Quality Control Officer
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Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states 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 "Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" 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: |
- 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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- Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
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- Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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- Engineering and Technology
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.
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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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| More at O*NET |
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Skills
| People in this career often have these skills: |
- 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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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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- Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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- Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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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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| What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
| People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
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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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- Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
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| More at O*NET |
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Tasks
| On the job, you would: |
- Examine blast areas to determine amounts and kinds of explosive charges needed and to ensure that safety laws are observed.
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- Tie specified lengths of delaying fuses into patterns in order to time sequences of explosions.
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- Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.
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- Place explosive charges in holes or other spots; then detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
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- Insert, pack, and pour explosives, such as dynamite, ammonium nitrate, black powder, or slurries into blast holes; then shovel drill cuttings, admit water into boreholes, and tamp material to compact charges.
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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 "Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" 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 "Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters" 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 | | 4% |
Certificate or some college,
no degree | | 29% |
High school diploma
or equivalent | | 63% |
| Less than high school diploma | | 4% |
| 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: |
- 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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- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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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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- Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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| More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
| In general, what you might do: |
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Documenting/Recording Information
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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- Performing General Physical Activities
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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| More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
| What you might do in a day: |
- Determine operational compliance with regulations or standards.
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- Select tools, equipment, or technologies for use in operations or projects.
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- Prepare explosives for detonation.
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- Direct construction or extraction personnel.
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- Position safety or support 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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