Career Explorer Construction and trades
Human edge, steady
Helpers--extraction workers
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.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 92% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is very low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +1.7% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $47,730
- Job growth to 2035
- +1.7%
- Openings a year
- 700
- People doing it (2025)
- 7,100
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
- Perform general construction or extraction activities
What the work looks like
- Provide assistance to extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers and derrick operators.
- Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems.
- Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites.
- Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
- Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- RoofersHuman edge, growing, Index 94, +5.3%
- Roustabouts, oil and gasHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +3.6%
- Crane and tower operatorsHuman edge, growing, Index 93, +3.8%
- Medical equipment preparersHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +10.8%
Also known as: Driller Helper, Driller's Assistant, Miner Helper, Powderman, Continuous Miner Operator Helper, Longwall Machine Operator Helper, Salt Miner.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.