Job Outlook for:
Construction Equipment Operators
SOC: 47-2071 OOH: U264
| Construction Equipment Operators Quick Stats |
|
| Total Jobs in 2016 | 426,600 |
| Expected Growth | 12% (Faster than average) |
| New Jobs To Be Added from 2016 to 2026 |
52,800 |
| Median Pay | $35,000 to $54,999 |
- Job Outlook for Construction Equipment Operators
- Pay for Construction Equipment Operators
- What do Construction Equipment Operators do all day
- The work environment
- How to become one
Employment Outlook for Construction Equipment Operators
Overall employment of construction equipment operators is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth is expected to vary across the construction equipment operator occupations. (See table below.)
Spending on infrastructure is expected to increase, resulting in many new positions over the next 10 years. Across the country, many roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems are in need of repair. In addition, population growth will require new infrastructure projects, such as roads and sewer lines, which are also expected to generate jobs.
Pile-driver operators, the smallest of the three occupations in this profile, is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, this growth will result in only about 500 new jobs over the 10-year period.
Job Prospects
Workers with the ability to operate multiple types of equipment should have the best job opportunities. In addition, employment opportunities should be best in metropolitan areas, where most large commercial and residential buildings are constructed, and in states that undertake large transportation-related projects. Because apprentices learn to operate a wider variety of machines than do other beginners, they usually have better job opportunities.
As with many other types of construction worker jobs, employment of construction equipment operators is sensitive to fluctuations of the economy. On the one hand, workers may experience periods of unemployment when the overall level of construction falls. On the other hand, some areas may need additional workers during peak periods of building activity.
Typical Pay for Construction Equipment Operators
The median annual wage for construction equipment operators was $45,040 in May 2016. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,030, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,700.
Median annual wages for construction equipment operators in May 2016 were as follows:
| Pile-driver operators | $55,070 |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators | 45,890 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators | 38,970 |
In May 2016, the median annual wages for construction equipment operators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Construction of buildings | $49,510 |
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | 48,450 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 45,340 |
| Specialty trade contractors | 44,560 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 40,720 |
The starting pay for apprentices is usually between 60 percent and 70 percent of what fully trained operators make. They receive pay increases as they learn to operate more complex equipment.
Construction equipment operators may have irregular schedules because work on construction projects must sometimes continue around the clock or be done late at night. The majority of construction equipment operators work full time.
Union Membership
Compared with workers in all occupations, construction equipment operators had a higher percentage of workers who belonged to a union in 2016. Although no single union covers all operators, the largest organizer of these workers is the International Union of Operating Engineers.
What Construction Equipment Operators Do All Day
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures.
Duties
Construction equipment operators typically do the following:
- Clean and maintain equipment, making basic repairs as necessary
- Report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors
- Move levers, push pedals, or turn valves to control equipment
- Drive and maneuver equipment
- Coordinate machine actions with crew members using hand or audio signals
- Follow safety standards
Construction equipment operators use machinery to move construction materials, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites and mines. They operate equipment that clears and grades land to prepare it for the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings, as well as runways, power generation facilities, dams, levees, and other structures.
The following are examples of types of construction equipment operators:
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work with one or several types of power construction equipment. They may operate excavation and loading machines equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets that dig sand, gravel, earth, or similar materials. In addition to operating bulldozers, they operate trench excavators, road graders, and similar equipment. Sometimes, they may drive and control industrial trucks or tractors equipped with forklifts or booms for lifting materials. They may also operate and maintain air compressors, pumps, and other power equipment at construction sites.
Paving and surfacing equipment operators control the machines that spread and level asphalt or spread and smooth concrete for roadways or other structures.
- Asphalt spreader operators turn valves to regulate the temperature and flow of asphalt being applied to the roadbed. They must ensure a constant flow of asphalt into the hopper and that the machine distributes the paving material evenly.
- Concrete paving machine operators control levers and turn handwheels to move attachments that spread, vibrate, and level wet concrete. They must watch the surface of the concrete carefully to identify low spots that need additional concrete.
- Tamping equipment operators use machines that compact earth and other fill materials for roadbeds, railroads, or other construction sites. They also may operate machines with interchangeable hammers to cut or break up old pavement and drive guardrail posts into the ground.
Pile-driver operators use large machines mounted on skids, barges, or cranes to hammer piles into the ground. Piles are long, heavy beams of concrete, wood, or steel driven into the ground to support retaining walls, bridges, piers, or building foundations. Some pile-driver operators work on offshore oil rigs.
Work Environment for Construction Equipment Operators
Construction equipment operators held about 426,600 jobs in 2016. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up construction equipment operators was distributed as follows:
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators | 371,100 |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators | 51,900 |
| Pile-driver operators | 3,700 |
The largest employers of construction equipment operators were as follows:
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | 29% |
| Specialty trade contractors | 28 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 14 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 6 |
| Construction of buildings | 5 |
Construction equipment operators work in nearly every weather condition, although rain or extremely cold weather can stop some types of construction. Workers often get dirty, greasy, muddy, or dusty. Some operators work in remote locations on large construction projects, such as highways and dams, or in factories or mines.
Injuries and Illnesses
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators have a higher rate of injuries and illnesses than the national average. Slips, falls, and transportation incidents can generally be avoided by observing proper operating procedures and safety practices. Bulldozers, scrapers, and especially pile-drivers, are noisy and shake or jolt the operator, which may lead to repetitive stress injuries.
Work Schedules
Construction equipment operators may have irregular schedules because work on construction projects must sometimes continue around the clock or be done late at night. The majority of construction equipment operators work full time.
How To Become a Construction Equipment Operator
Many workers learn equipment operation on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent, while others learn through an apprenticeship or by attending vocational schools.
Education
A high school diploma or equivalent is required for most jobs. Vocational training and math courses are useful, and a course in auto mechanics can be helpful because workers often perform maintenance on their equipment.
Learning at vocational schools may be beneficial in finding a job. Schools may specialize in a particular brand or type of construction equipment.
Some schools incorporate sophisticated simulator training into their courses, allowing beginners to familiarize themselves with the equipment in a virtual environment before operating real machines.
Training
Many workers learn their jobs by operating light equipment under the guidance of an experienced operator. Later, they may operate heavier equipment, such as bulldozers. Some construction equipment with computerized controls requires greater skill to operate. Operators of such equipment may need more training and some understanding of electronics.
Other workers learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. On the job, apprentices learn to maintain equipment, operate machinery, and use technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. In the classroom, apprentices learn operating procedures for equipment, safety practices, and first aid, as well as how to read grading plans.
A few groups, including unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs. The basic qualifications for entering an apprenticeship program are as follows:
- Minimum age of 18
- High school education or equivalent
- Physically able to do the work
- Valid driver’s license
After completing an apprenticeship program, apprentices are considered journey workers and perform tasks with less guidance.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Construction equipment operators often need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to haul their equipment to various jobsites. State laws governing CDLs vary.
A few states have special licenses for operators of backhoes, loaders, and bulldozers.
Currently, 17 states require pile-driver operators to have a crane license because similar operational concerns apply to both pile-drivers and cranes. In addition, the cities of Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC require special crane licensure.
Important Qualities
Hand-eye-foot coordination. Construction equipment operators should have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely, sometimes in tight spaces.
Mechanical skills. Construction equipment operators often perform basic maintenance on the equipment they operate. As a result, they should be familiar with hand and power tools and standard equipment care.
Physical strength. Construction equipment operators may be required to lift more than 50 pounds as part of their duties.
Unafraid of heights. Construction equipment operators may work at great heights. For example, pile-driver operators may need to service the pulleys located at the top of the pile-driver’s tower, which may be several stories tall.
"Construction Equipment Operators" SOC: 47-2071 OOH Code: U264