Overview
All Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers
-
$2,500 Weekly Pay
-
Strong Future Growth
-
58,400 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
95% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
62 hours Average full-time
-
41 years Average age
-
7% female Gender Share
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers assemble, position and operate drilling rigs and mining plant, and detonate explosives to extract materials from the earth and demolish structures.
You can work as a Driller, Miner or Shot Firer without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in a relevant mining field might be helpful.
Tasks
- dismantling, moving and reassembling drilling rigs and accessory plant
- taking samples of ore, liquids and gases and packaging them
- performing minor maintenance and repairs, and lubricating and cleaning plant
- recording performance details and information obtained from wells, and keeping logs detailing operations
- operating surface and underground mining plant
- undertaking development work such as opening up new shafts, drives, air vents, rises and crib rooms
- positioning explosives in bore holes and priming explosives using detonators and explosive cartridges
- connecting wires, fuses and detonating cords to explosive cartridges and detonators, and detonating explosives
- monitoring operation of plant and ensuring safety of other workers on mining sites and during drilling operations
- operating auxiliary plant such as pumps to expel air, water and mud
Prospects
The number of people working as Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers (in their main job) stayed about the same over 5 years:
from 57,700 in 2014 to 58,400 in 2019.
Caution: The Australian jobs market is changing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with extreme caution.
- Size: This is a large occupation.
- Location: Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers work in many parts of Australia. Queensland and Western Australia have a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Mining; Construction; and Manufacturing.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $2,500 per week (very high compared to the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Most work full-time (95%, much higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 62 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 41 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 7% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Caution: The 2019 employment projections do not take account of any impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are therefore no longer reflective of current labour market conditions. As such, they should be used, and interpreted, with extreme caution. Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data to May 2019 and projections to 2024.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Pathways
You can work as a Driller, Miner or Shot Firer without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in a relevant mining field might be helpful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Resources and Infrastructure Industry VET training pathways.
Skills & Knowledge
Employers look for Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers who are reliable, committed to the job and have a good work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
Geography
Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Repairing
Fixing machines or systems.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Equipment selection
Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Reaction time
Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Hearing sensitivity
Tell the difference between sounds.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Response orientation
Quickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Auditory attention
Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Rate control
Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Working with electronic equipment
Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-5042.00 - Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators.
Work Environment
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Dangerous equipment
Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
-
Dangerous conditions
Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.
-
Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
-
Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
-
Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
-
Cramped work space
Work in an awkward position or in cramped work spaces.
-
Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
-
Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
-
Bright or inadequate lighting
Work in extremely bright or dark lighting conditions.
-
Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
-
Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
-
Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
-
Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
-
Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
-
Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
-
Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
-
Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
-
Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
-
Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
-
Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
-
Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
-
Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-5042.00 - Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators.
All Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers
-
$2,500 Weekly Pay
-
Strong Future Growth
-
58,400 workers Employment Size
-
Lower skill Skill level rating
-
95% Full-Time Full-Time Share
-
62 hours Average full-time
-
41 years Average age
-
7% female Gender Share
Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers assemble, position and operate drilling rigs and mining plant, and detonate explosives to extract materials from the earth and demolish structures.
You can work as a Driller, Miner or Shot Firer without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in a relevant mining field might be helpful.
Tasks
- dismantling, moving and reassembling drilling rigs and accessory plant
- taking samples of ore, liquids and gases and packaging them
- performing minor maintenance and repairs, and lubricating and cleaning plant
- recording performance details and information obtained from wells, and keeping logs detailing operations
- operating surface and underground mining plant
- undertaking development work such as opening up new shafts, drives, air vents, rises and crib rooms
- positioning explosives in bore holes and priming explosives using detonators and explosive cartridges
- connecting wires, fuses and detonating cords to explosive cartridges and detonators, and detonating explosives
- monitoring operation of plant and ensuring safety of other workers on mining sites and during drilling operations
- operating auxiliary plant such as pumps to expel air, water and mud
The number of people working as Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers (in their main job) stayed about the same over 5 years:
from 57,700 in 2014 to 58,400 in 2019.
Caution: The Australian jobs market is changing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These estimates do not take account of the impact of COVID-19. They may not reflect the current jobs market and should be used and interpreted with extreme caution.
- Size: This is a large occupation.
- Location: Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers work in many parts of Australia. Queensland and Western Australia have a large share of workers.
- Industries: Most work in Mining; Construction; and Manufacturing.
- Earnings: Full-time workers on an adult wage earn around $2,500 per week (very high compared to the average of $1,460). Earnings tend to be lower when starting out and higher as experience grows.
- Full-time: Most work full-time (95%, much higher than the average of 66%).
- Hours: Full-time workers spend around 62 hours per week at work (compared to the average of 44 hours).
- Age: The average age is 41 years (compared to the average of 40 years).
- Gender: 7% of workers are female (compared to the average of 48%).
Employment Outlook
Caution: The 2019 employment projections do not take account of any impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are therefore no longer reflective of current labour market conditions. As such, they should be used, and interpreted, with extreme caution. Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, National Skills Commission trend data to May 2019 and projections to 2024.
Weekly Earnings
Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), May 2018, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Main Industries
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Industries are based on the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC 06).
States and Territories
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian States and Territories, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Education Level
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
You can work as a Driller, Miner or Shot Firer without formal qualifications. Some on the job training may be provided. A Vocational Education and Training (VET) course in a relevant mining field might be helpful.
Before starting a course, check it will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need. Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Resources and Infrastructure Industry VET training pathways.
Employers look for Drillers, Miners and Shot Firers who are reliable, committed to the job and have a good work ethic.
Filter Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
-
Mechanical
Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
-
Transportation
Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
-
Law and government
How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
-
Public safety and security
Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
-
Engineering and technology
Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.
-
Physics
The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.
-
Education and training
Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
-
Administration and management
Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
-
English language
English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
-
Mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
-
Medicine and dentistry
Diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
-
Production and processing
Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.
-
Chemistry
Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
-
Building and construction
Materials, and methods used to construct or repair houses, buildings, or other structures like highways and roads.
-
Psychology
Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
-
Personnel and human resources
Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
-
Technical design
Design techniques, tools, and principles used to make detailed technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
-
Telecommunications
Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
-
Geography
Describing land, sea, and air, including their physical characteristics, locations, how they work together, and the location of plant, animal, and human life.
-
Computers and electronics
Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
-
Operation monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
-
Coordination with others
Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
-
Operation and control
Controlling equipment or systems.
-
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
-
Quality control analysis
Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.
-
Complex problem solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
-
Equipment maintenance
Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.
-
Judgment and decision making
Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
-
Repairing
Fixing machines or systems.
-
Critical thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
-
Equipment selection
Deciding on the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
-
Troubleshooting
Figuring out why a machine or system went wrong and working out what to do about it.
-
Management of personnel resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
-
Serving others
Looking for ways to help people.
-
Active listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
-
Speaking
Talking to others.
-
Time management
Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
-
Instructing
Teaching people how to do something.
-
Active learning
Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
-
Social perceptiveness
Understanding why people react the way they do.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities.
-
Control precision
Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
-
Reaction time
Quickly move your hand, finger, or foot when a sound, light, picture or something else appears.
-
Multilimb coordination
Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.
-
Depth perception
Decide which thing is closer or further away from you, or decide how far away it is.
-
Arm-hand steadiness
Keep your hand or arm steady.
-
Oral comprehension
Listen to and understand what people say.
-
Hearing sensitivity
Tell the difference between sounds.
-
Manual dexterity
Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
-
Response orientation
Quickly choose the right movement of the hand, foot, or other body part when there are two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures).
-
Static strength
Lift, push, pull, or carry things.
-
Auditory attention
Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.
-
Extent flexibility
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
-
Problem spotting
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
-
Far vision
See details that are far away.
-
Near vision
See details that are up-close (within a few feet).
-
Deductive reasoning
Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
-
Inductive reasoning
Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
-
Rate control
Change when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
-
Speech recognition
Identify and understand the speech of another person.
-
Categorising
Come up with different ways of grouping things.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
-
Controlling equipment or machines
Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).
-
Looking for changes over time
Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
-
Handling and moving objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
-
Monitoring people, processes and things
Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
-
Driving vehicles or equipment
Running, manoeuvring, navigating, or driving things like forklifts, vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
-
Checking for errors or defects
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
-
Working with mechanical equipment
Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment.
-
Doing physically active work
Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
-
Communicating within a team
Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
-
Making decisions and solving problems
Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
-
Checking compliance with standards
Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
-
Keeping your knowledge up-to-date
Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.
-
Working with electronic equipment
Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.
-
Helping and caring for others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
-
Estimating amounts, costs and resources
Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.
-
Training and teaching others
Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
-
Researching and investigating
Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
-
Building good relationships
Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.
-
Planning and prioritising work
Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
-
Assessing and evaluating things
Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-5042.00 - Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators.
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Filter Work Environment
Demands
The physical and social demands workers face most often are shown below.
-
Dangerous equipment
Work near dangerous equipment like saws, machinery with open moving parts, or moving traffic.
-
Exposure to contaminants
Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.
-
Wear common protective or safety equipment
Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
Using your hands to handle, control, or feel
Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.
-
Loud or uncomfortable sounds
Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.
-
Contact with people
Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
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Face-to-face discussions
Talk with people face-to-face.
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Dangerous conditions
Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.
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Making repetitive motions
Spend time making repetitive motions.
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Pace of work set by equipment
Pace of work depends on the speed of equipment or machinery.
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Teamwork
Work with people in a group or team.
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Cramped work space
Work in an awkward position or in cramped work spaces.
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Frequent decision making
Frequently make decisions that impact other people.
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Health and safety of others
Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.
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Impact of decisions
Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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Bright or inadequate lighting
Work in extremely bright or dark lighting conditions.
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Freedom to make decisions
Have freedom to make decision on your own.
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Being exact or accurate
Be very exact or highly accurate.
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Spend time standing
Spend time standing at work.
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Bending or twisting your body
Spend time bending or twisting your body.
Values
Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
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Support
Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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Relationships
Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
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Independence
Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
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Working conditions
Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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Achievement
Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
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Recognition
Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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Practical
Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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Administrative
Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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Analytical
Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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Enterprising
Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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Creative
Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
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Helping
Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 47-5042.00 - Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators.