Career Explorer Construction and trades
Human edge, growing
Rock splitters, quarry
Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
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 +5.8% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $48,740
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 400
- People doing it (2025)
- 3,500
- Usual route in
- No formal credential, then short on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Operate construction or excavation equipment
- Cut materials
- Position materials or components for assembly
What the work looks like
- Cut slabs of stone into sheets that will be used for floors or counters.
- Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut.
- Set charges of explosives to split rock.
- Drill holes along outlines, using jackhammers.
- Drill holes into sides of stones broken from masses, insert dogs or attach slings, and direct removal of stones.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleanersHuman edge, growing, Index 93, +7.8%
- Construction laborersHuman edge, growing, Index 93, +7.3%
- Roustabouts, oil and gasHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +3.6%
- Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workersHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +5.3%
Also known as: Driller, Quarry Worker, Rock Splitter, Stone Splitter, Splitter Operator, Stone Breaker.
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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.