Crane operators

Crane operators

NOC
72500

operate cranes or draglines to move machinery and other large objects at construction or industrial sites, ports, railway yards, surface mines and other locations.

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Quick facts

3-Year Outlook

Moderate
Moderate

3-Year Job Openings

36
 

Median Hourly Wage

$32.90
$20.00
Low
$44.50
High

Average Salary

$80,000
 

Typically Required

College or apprenticeship

Employed

231
 
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Job details

Full NOC Description

Crane operators operate cranes or draglines to lift, move, position or place machinery, equipment and other large objects at construction or industrial sites, ports, railway yards, surface mines and other similar locations. They are employed by construction, industrial, mining, cargo handling and railway companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
  • Operate mobile and tower cranes to lift, move, position or place equipment and materials
  • Perform pre-operational inspection, and calculate crane capacities and weight to prepare for rigging and hoisting
  • Operate pile driving cranes to drive pilings into earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
  • Operate cranes equipped with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
  • Operate gantry cranes to load and unload ship cargo at port side
  • Operate locomotive cranes to move objects and materials at railway yards
  • Operate bridge or overhead cranes to lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
  • Operate offshore oil rig cranes to unload and reload supply vessels
  • Operate cranes mounted on boats or barges to lift, move and place equipment and materials
  • Operate dragline cranes to expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines
  • May assemble tower cranes on site
  • Perform routine maintenance work such as cleaning and lubricating cranes.

    • Also Known As

    • boom truck crane operator
    • bridge crane operator
    • climbing crane operator
    • construction crane operator
    • crane operator
    • dragline crane operator
    • gantry crane operator
    • hoist operator (except underground mining)
    • mobile crane operator
    • tower crane operator
    • tractor crane operator
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    Requirements

    Employment Requirements

    Completion of secondary school is usually required.
  • Completion of a one- to three-year apprenticeship program or Industry courses in crane operating are usually required.
  • Mobile crane operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the Northwest Territories.
  • Tower crane operator trade certification is compulsory in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in Prince Edward Island.
  • Hoist operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
  • Mobile crane operators may require a provincial licence to drive mobile cranes on public roads.
  • Internal company certification as a crane operator may be required by some employers.
  • Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified mobile crane and tower crane operators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

    • Provincial Regulation

    • Provincially Regulated: Yes
    • Compulsory: Yes
    • Red Seal: Yes

    Regulation Body

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    Employment by Sex

    The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

    Data legend

    4.3%
    Female
    95.7%
    Male
    Employment by age

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

    Data legend

    0.0%
    15-24
    0.0%
    25-34
    0.0%
    35-44
    0.0%
    45-54
    0.0%
    55-64
    0.0%
    65+
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    Employment by highest level of education

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

    Data legend

    17.8%
    No Certificate, Diploma or Degree
    24.4%
    High School, Diploma or Equivalent
    33.3%
    Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma
    24.4%
    College or University Below Bachelor Level
    0.0%
    University - Bachelor Level or Above
    Employment by Industry

    The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

    Data legend

    54.3%
    Construction
    8.7%
    Manufacturing
    6.5%
    Transportation and warehousing
    30.4%
    All Other Industries
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    Employment by Economic Regions

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

    Data legend

    19.60%
    Northeast
    34.80%
    Southeast
    32.60%
    Southwest
    10.90%
    Central
    N/A
    Northwest
    Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

    Economic Regions

    The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

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    Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

    The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

    Data legend

    N/A
    Northeast
    $64,000
    Southeast
    $84,000
    Southwest
    N/A
    Central
    N/A
    Northwest
    Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

    Economic Regions

    The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

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    Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

    The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

    No Data Available
    No Data Available

    Southwest

    $33.61
    $21.77
    Low
    $39.00
    High
    No Data Available
    No Data Available
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    Salary

    The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

    New Brunswick

    $80,000

    Newfoundland

    $92,000

    Prince Edward Island

    $66,000

    Nova Scotia

    $79,000

    Canada

    $90,500
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    Employment Outlook

    The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

    Three Year Outlook

    Total Openings: 3-Year

    36
     

    New Jobs: 3-Year

    11
     

    Retirements/Deaths: 3-Year

    24
     

    Ten Year Outlook

    Total Openings: 10-Year

    94
     

    New Jobs: 10-Year

    17
     

    Retirements/Deaths: 10-Year

    76
     
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