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Helpers--Extraction Workers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $47,730 Median per year · $22.95/hr Most earn $36,960–$68,020

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
  • Dismantle extracting and boring equipment used for excavation, using hand tools.
  • Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
  • Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
  • Load materials into well holes or into equipment, using hand tools.
  • Organize materials to prepare for use.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Support activities for mining29.1%
  • Coal mining11.3%
  • Self-employed (their own business)5.5%
  • Engineering services3.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and no prior work experience, so you can begin soon after graduating. Advancing to more skilled drilling or mining roles usually takes a few years of on-the-job experience.

  1. High school diploma

    About 4 years

    Finish high school with a diploma, which is the typical education requirement for this job and for the drilling and mining roles above it.

  2. Helpers--Extraction Workers

    Start right after high school

    You assist skilled crews by supplying equipment, cleaning the work area, and learning how drills, blasting equipment, and mining machines are run safely from the people you work beside.

Where it can lead

  1. Earth Drillers

    6 months to 1 year of experience first

    You move from helping to running drill equipment that digs for water, minerals, or construction sites, which requires learning the machines and following safety rules on your own.

  2. Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

    2 to 4 years of experience first

    This more senior role involves operating larger drilling rigs at oil and gas sites, with more responsibility for equipment, crew safety, and drilling decisions.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, mechanics, or auto classesThese classes teach you how machines work and how to use hand and power tools, which is useful for helping equipment crews.
  • Take a health and safety or first aid courseSafety knowledge matters a lot on job sites with heavy equipment, and first aid training shows employers you take safety seriously.
  • Get a summer or part-time jobWork at a construction company, farm, or landscaping business to build physical stamina, teamwork skills, and comfort on outdoor job sites.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationGroups tied to trades or skilled work help you meet people in the field and practice teamwork and responsibility.

In college

  • Take math and science coursesBasic math, physics, and earth science help you understand measurements, materials, and how drilling and extraction equipment works.
  • Get a summer job or internship at a mine, quarry, or construction siteHands-on experience on a real job site helps you learn the work and shows future employers you can handle the environment.
  • Earn a safety certificationMany schools and towns offer short safety courses, such as first aid or workplace safety training, that make you a stronger job applicant.
  • Work a campus job that involves equipment or facilitiesJobs in campus maintenance or grounds crews teach you teamwork, equipment handling, and how to follow safety procedures.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask your crew lead or supervisor to show you how the equipment works, and volunteer for tasks that teach you new skills.
  • Take safety training seriously and learn the rules for working with heavy machinery and explosives, since employers value workers who stay safe.
  • Look for summer or part-time jobs at construction, farm, or landscaping sites to build comfort with tools, outdoor work, and physical labor.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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