Career profile for Construction Equipment Mechanic

What does a Construction Equipment Mechanic do?

Construction Equipment Mechanics diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining.

What kind of tasks does a Construction Equipment Mechanic perform regularly?

Construction Equipment Mechanics are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
Test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance and compliance with manufacturers' specifications.
Operate and inspect machines or heavy equipment to diagnose defects.
Read and understand operating manuals, blueprints, and technical drawings.
Dismantle and reassemble heavy equipment using hoists and hand tools.
Overhaul and test machines or equipment to ensure operating efficiency.
Adjust, maintain, and repair or replace subassemblies, such as transmissions and crawler heads, using hand tools, jacks, and cranes.
Repair, rewire, and troubleshoot electrical systems.
Diagnose faults or malfunctions to determine required repairs, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices.
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear, using micrometers and gauges.
Weld or solder broken parts and structural members, using electric or gas welders and soldering tools.
Research, order, and maintain parts inventory for services and repairs.
Fit bearings to adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment.
Schedule maintenance for industrial machines and equipment, and keep equipment service records.
Clean, lubricate, and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles.
Assemble gear systems, and align frames and gears.
Clean parts by spraying them with grease solvent or immersing them in tanks of solvent.
Adjust and maintain industrial machinery, using control and regulating devices.
Fabricate needed parts or items from sheet metal.
Direct workers who are assembling or disassembling equipment or cleaning parts.

The above responsibilities are specific to Construction Equipment Mechanics. More generally, Construction Equipment Mechanics are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment		Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment		Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials		Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Handling and Moving Objects		Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Handling and Moving Objects

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

What is a Construction Equipment Mechanic salary?

The median salary for a Construction Equipment Mechanic is $55,350, and the average salary is $57,000. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Construction Equipment Mechanic salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Construction Equipment Mechanics earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Construction Equipment Mechanics earn less than $36,250 per year, 25% earn less than $44,610, 75% earn less than $66,290, and 90% earn less than $81,000.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Construction Equipment Mechanics is expected to change by 11.7%, and there should be roughly 17,500 open positions for Construction Equipment Mechanics every year.

Median annual salary: $55,350
Typical salary range: $36,250 - $81,000
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 11.7%

What personality traits are common among Construction Equipment Mechanics?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as a Construction Equipment Mechanic are usually higher in their Realistic interests.

Construction Equipment Mechanics typically have very strong Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as a Construction Equipment Mechanic tend to value Support, Relationships, and Independence.

Most importantly, Construction Equipment Mechanics strongly value Support. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Second, Construction Equipment Mechanics moderately value Relationships. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Lastly, Construction Equipment Mechanics moderately value Independence. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Construction Equipment Mechanics must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, dependability, and integrity.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Construction Equipment Mechanics, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity		Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence		Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative		Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Independence

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Initiative

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

What education and training do Construction Equipment Mechanics need?

Construction Equipment Mechanics often have training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Construction Equipment Mechanics usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

Educational degrees among Construction Equipment Mechanics

12.0% did not complete high school or secondary school
47.3% completed high school or secondary school
23.4% completed some college coursework
13.1% earned a Associate's degree
3.3% earned a Bachelor's degree
0.6% earned a Master's degree
0.2% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Construction Equipment Mechanics

Construction Equipment Mechanics may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as mechanical, customer and personal service, or mathematics knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Construction Equipment Mechanics might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Customer and Personal Service		Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics		Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Building and Construction		Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Mathematics

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Important Abilities needed by Construction Equipment Mechanics

Construction Equipment Mechanics must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Construction Equipment Mechanics need abilities such as manual dexterity, control precision, and finger dexterity in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Construction Equipment Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Manual Dexterity		The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Control Precision		The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Finger Dexterity		The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Extent Flexibility		The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Extent Flexibility

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Critical Skills needed by Construction Equipment Mechanics

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Construction Equipment Mechanics frequently use skills like troubleshooting, repairing, and equipment maintenance to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Construction Equipment Mechanics, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Troubleshooting		Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Repairing		Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Equipment Maintenance		Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Operations Monitoring		Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control		Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Repairing

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Equipment Maintenance

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Construction Equipment Mechanic

Construction Equipment Mechanic

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