This occupation is part of the Farming, Fishing, and Forestry cluster
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About the Job
Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. May perform tasks, such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.
It is also Called
- Agricultural Plow Operator
- Baler
- Baler Operator
- Bean Picker Machine Operator
- Berry Picker Machine Operator
- Broomcorn Thresher
- Bulbs Farmworker
- Cane Flume Chute Operator
- Cane Flume Feeding Machine Operator
- Cane Piler
What They Do
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps.
- Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
- Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
- Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
- Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
Interests
People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: R.
This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests.
Work Values
People who work in this occupation generally prize Support, but also value Independence and Achievement in their jobs.
Things They Need to Know
- Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
- Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- 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.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Things They Need to Be Able to Do
- 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.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- 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.
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Wages
In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $23,680.00 with most people making between $17,720.00 and $33,130.00
Outlook
During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 14,000 people in California. It is projected that there will be 14,300 employed in 2020.
This occupation will have about 40 openings due to growth and about 430 replacement openings for approximately 470 total annual openings.
Industries that Employ this Occupation
Industry breakdown is not available for this occupation
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