Crane & Tower Operators

Also Called:

Crane Operator,

Mobile Crane Operator,

Overhead Crane Operator,

Scrap Crane Operator

What they do: Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.

Advanced Manufacturing, Construction icon

Advanced Manufacturing, Construction

Career Cluster

What do they typically do on the job?

  • Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
  • Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
  • Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Stress Tolerance

Integrity

Self-Control

Interests

Career interests describe the perspectives and interests of people who enjoy the type of work involved in this career.

Discover what your interests are by taking the Interest Profiler Quiz

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Realistic

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Conventional

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Investigative

Abilities

Whether you have received formal training or not, these types of abilities are helpful in this career.

Controlled Movement

  • Quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

  • Use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down

Hand and Finger Use

  • Keep your arm or hand steady

  • Hold or move items with your hands

Attention

  • Pay attention to something without being distracted

  • Do two or more things at the same time

Vision

  • Decide which thing is closer or farther away from you or decide how far away it is from you

Skills

People who want to pursue this career have skills in these areas.

Basic Skills

  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Does this sound like something you'd like to do?

1. Do some research

  • Identify how your interests, values, and strengths match this occupation
  • Talk to someone who works in this field or spend a day job shadowing
  • Use the colleges and training directory to explore programs related to this career

2. Plan your next move

  • Talk to your college and career counselor or school admissions staff
  • Visit Idaho Launch
  • Search for available Crane & Tower Operators jobs on Idaho Works

Data for NSI career cards comes from the following: Idaho Department of Labor, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, MyNextMove, and Career OneStop