Surface mine plant operator

• Operating and monitoring excavating machinery equipped with moveable shovel, grab-bucket or dragline bucket, to excavate and move earth, rock, sand, gravel or similar materials
• Operating and monitoring machinery for digging trenches for sewers, drainage, water, oil, gas or similar pipelines
• Operating and monitoring machinery equipped with concave steel blade to move, distribute and level earth, sand, snow and other materials
• Operating and monitoring equipment to remove sand, gravel and mud from bottom of body of water
• Operating and monitoring machines for hammering wooden, concrete or steel piles into ground
• Operating and monitoring power roller to compact and smooth layers of materials in making roads, pavements and similar work
• Operating and monitoring machines which spread and smooth concrete or bituminous or tar preparations to construct roadways, roads or similar surfaces

13 EU countries are short of earthmoving and related plant operators now, but fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,100 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among plant and machine operators, and assemblers in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers · Eurostat

Upper secondary or vocational training is the usual route.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for earthmoving and related plant operators. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).