Pipelayers

Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.

Median Annual Wage: $37,000

Education: High school diploma or equivalent (71%); Less than high school diploma (24%); Professional degree (4%)

Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)

Related Job Titles: Construction Laborer; Heavy Equipment Operator; Equipment Operator; Machine Operator; Pipelayer; Skilled Laborer; Pipe Crew Foreman; Pipe Foreman; Tailman; Waste Water Worker

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pipelayers.

More Construction and Extraction Careers

  • Cut pipes to required lengths.
  • Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.
  • Cover pipes with earth or other materials.
  • Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
  • Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.
  • Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.
  • Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.
  • Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.
  • Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.
  • Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.
  • Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.
  • Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.
  • Train or supervise others in laying pipe.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pipelayers.

  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • 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.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Pipelayers.

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