Roustabout

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Work Tasks

• Do routine work around oil fields, gas works, and pipelines
• Dig ditches for bases or drainage, fix minor problems and help skilled workers
• Mix concrete, cut down trees and brush, and load and unload trucks and boats
• Paint equipment and connect pipes and hoses
• Work outside for the oil industry, the crude petroleum industry, and the natural gas industry
• Work with hand and power tools, electronic testers, motorized lifts, drill rigs, cranes, pipes, hoses, and oil field machinery and equipment

Salary, Size & Growth

• $40,500 average per year ($19.50 per hour)
• A medium occupation (86,000 workers in 2010)
• Expected to decline (1.7% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training; able to do heavy work and be reliable
• Employers Prefer: A high school diploma.