CareerGPS

Farm Equipment Mechanics
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
175 189 14 7.84% 3 18 21 $22.75 $47,315 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, dairy equipment, and irrigation systems.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Record details of repairs made and parts used.
  • Reassemble machines and equipment following repair; test operation; and make adjustments as necessary.
  • Maintain, repair, and overhaul farm machinery and vehicles, such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems.
  • Examine and listen to equipment, read inspection reports, and confer with customers to locate and diagnose malfunctions.
  • Dismantle defective machines for repair, using hand tools.
  • Test and replace electrical components and wiring, using test meters, soldering equipment, and hand tools.
  • Repair or replace defective parts, using hand tools, milling and woodworking machines, lathes, welding equipment, grinders, or saws.
  • Clean and lubricate parts.
  • Tune or overhaul engines.
  • Drive trucks to haul tools and equipment for on-site repair of large machinery.
  • Fabricate new metal parts, using drill presses, engine lathes, and other machine tools.

Knowledge

85%
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
68%
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.
56%
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
50%
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Skills

78%
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
75%
Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
72%
Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
69%
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
65%
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
65%
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
65%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
60%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
56%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
56%
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.
56%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
53%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
50%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities

78%
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.
78%
Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
75%
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
75%
Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
72%
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.
69%
Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
62%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
62%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
62%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
62%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
60%
Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
60%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
60%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
60%
Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
56%
Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
56%
Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
56%
Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
56%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
56%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
50%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
50%
Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
50%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Work Activities

88%
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.
85%
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
76%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
76%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
73%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
73%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
72%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
69%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
69%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
67%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
66%
Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
64%
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment - Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
62%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
61%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
60%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
58%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
54%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
51%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
50%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations 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 these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Realistic - 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 outsi
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Styles

Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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.

Work Values

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.