BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasPipelayers

O*NET · 47-2151.00

Pipelayers

Lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains, and water mains. Perform any combination of the following tasks: grade trenches or culverts, position pipe, or seal joints.

Also called Cast Iron Drain Pipe Layer · Drain Layer · Drain Tiler · Pipe Assembly Worker · Pipe Caulker · Pipe Connector · Pipe Cutter · Pipe Fitter
23 more

Pipe Installer · Pipe Layer · Pipe Liner · Pipe Setter · Pipe Wrapping Machine Operator · Pipelayer · Pipelaying Fitter · Pipeman · Piper · Sewer Connector · Sewer Layer · Sewer Pipe Layer · Stormwater Tech · Stormwater Technician (Stormwater Tech) · Tailman · Tile Conduit Layer · Trench Pipe Layer · Underground Pipe Layer · Underground Utility Locator · Utilities Layer · Utility Layer · Utility Pipe Layer · Water Main Pipe Layer

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.54
  • I Investigative2.43
  • S Social1.30
  • E Enterprising1.14
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma65%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent33%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate2%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (19%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (28%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (28%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Active Listeningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Operations Monitoring3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Quality Control Analysis3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Speakingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Time Management2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Installation2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Install a new air filter in an air conditioner
  • Troubleshooting2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
Show the other 23
  • Repairing2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Monitoringbasic2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Social Perceptiveness2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Equipment Maintenance2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Equipment Selection2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Complex Problem Solving2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Active Learningbasic2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Instructing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Mathematicsbasic2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Persuasion2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Systems Analysis2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Writingbasic2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Negotiation2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Service Orientation2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Evaluation1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Technology Design1.60.6
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.6
  • Management of Material Resources1.50.5
  • Operations Analysis1.0—
  • Programming1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

14 core

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Grade or level trench bases, using tamping machines or hand tools.4.4
  2. Cut pipes to required lengths.4.3
  3. Dig trenches to desired or required depths, by hand or using trenching tools.4.3
  4. Install or use instruments such as lasers, grade rods, or transit levels.4.2
  5. Check slopes for conformance to requirements, using levels or lasers.4.1
  6. Cover pipes with earth or other materials.4.1
  7. Connect pipe pieces and seal joints, using welding equipment, cement, or glue.4.1
  8. Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.4.1
  9. Align and position pipes to prepare them for welding or sealing.4.1
  10. Lay out pipe routes, following written instructions or blueprints and coordinating layouts with supervisors.4.0
  11. Tap and drill holes into pipes to introduce auxiliary lines or devices.4.0
  12. Operate mechanized equipment, such as pickup trucks, rollers, tandem dump trucks, front-end loaders, or backhoes.3.9
Show the other 2
  1. Train or supervise others in laying pipe.3.9
  2. Locate existing pipes needing repair or replacement, using magnetic or radio indicators.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Building and Construction3.74.5Level 4 looks like: Fix a plumbing leak in the ceiling
  • Engineering and Technology3.02.9
  • Mechanical3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Public Safety and Security3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Administration and Management2.92.7
  • Design2.82.9
  • Education and Training2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • English Language2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
Show all 33
  • Production and Processing2.82.9
  • Mathematics2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Chemistry2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Computers and Electronics2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Customer and Personal Service2.52.6
  • Transportation2.52.2Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Physics2.42.6
  • Psychology2.42.8
  • Law and Government2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Geography2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Administrative2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Medicine and Dentistry2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Telecommunications2.01.2Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Foreign Language1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Biology1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Food Production1.8—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Communications and Media1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Therapy and Counseling1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Economics and Accounting1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • History and Archeology1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Sales and Marketing1.6—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Oral Comprehension3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Static Strength3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Depth Perception3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Finger Dexterity3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
Show all 52
  • Manual Dexterity3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Near Vision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Problem Sensitivity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Rate Control3.02.9
  • Reaction Time3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Selective Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.9
  • Speech Recognition3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Stamina3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Climb 6 flights of stairs
  • Trunk Strength3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Visualization3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Category Flexibility2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Deductive Reasoning2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Written Comprehension2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Inductive Reasoning2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Perceptual Speed2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Written Expression2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Gross Body Coordination2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Dynamic Strength2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Flexibility of Closure2.33.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Spatial Orientation2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Explosive Strength2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Auditory Attention2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Fluency of Ideas2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Glare Sensitivity2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Memorization2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Night Vision2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Number Facility2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Originality2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Peripheral Vision2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Response Orientation2.02.0Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Sound Localization2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Speed of Closure2.02.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Time Sharing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.60.8
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.03.2Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.86.0Level 7 looks like: Load boxes on an assembly line
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.64.4Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
Show all 41
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.04.0Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Training and Teaching Others2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.82.9
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.83.4Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Developing and Building Teams2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.72.8
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.72.9
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.72.9
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.72.9
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.73.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Thinking Creatively2.72.9
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.62.9
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.62.8
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.63.0Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Processing Information2.42.7
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.21.7Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.22.5Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Working with Computers2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.9
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6
  • Contact With Others4.5
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.4
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.4
  • Spend Time Standing4.4
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures4.2
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.2

Technology

2 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (2)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
  2. Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
  3. Construction Laborers
  4. Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
  5. Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
  6. Insulation Workers, Mechanical
  7. Sheet Metal Workers
  8. Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
  9. Structural Iron and Steel Workers
  10. Boilermakers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.