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Dredge Operators

Wages
In 2015, the average annual wage in a Alabama was $40,060 with most people making betweeen $25,760 and $67,690
Wages by Industry
  • Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying $34,210.00
  • Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction $42,830.00
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Common Majors
  • Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation
About the job

Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.

What you'll do
    • Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.
    • Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
    • Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
    • Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
    • Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
    • Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
Things you need to know
    • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Abilities you'll need to have
    • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
    • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
    • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
    • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
    • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
    • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
    • 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.