Summary Report for:
53-5021.03 - Pilots, Ship
Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, or sounds, or on rivers, lakes, or bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.
Sample of reported job titles:
Pilot, Docking Pilot, Ship Pilot, River Pilot, Towboat Pilot, Harbor Pilot, State Pilot, Bar Pilot, Marine Pilot, Relief Docking Master
Tasks | Tools & Technology | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks
- Set ships' courses that avoid reefs, outlying shoals, or other hazards, using navigational aids, such as lighthouses or buoys.
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Steer ships into or out of berths or signal tugboat captains to berth or unberth ships.
- Prevent ships under their navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- Give directions to crew members who are steering ships.
- Maintain ship logs.
- Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or when at a berth.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Cargo or container ships — Bulk carriers; Container ships |
| Depth gauges — Echo sounders |
| Marine craft communications systems — Ship-to-shore radios; Very high frequency VHF radiotelephone systems |
| Radarbased surveillance systems — Shipboard radar |
| Tankers — Chemical tankers; Oil tanker ships |
| Tug boats — Tugboats |
| Vehicle navigation systems — Dynamic positioning DP systems; Electronic chart display and information systems ECDIS; Integrated bridge systems; Voyage management systems VMS |
| Vehicular global positioning systems — Differential global positioning satellite DGPS positioning systems; Global positioning systems GPS |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Data base user interface and query software — Log book software |
| Route navigation software — Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral; Maptech The CAPN; Navigational chart software |
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Knowledge
| Transportation — Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits. |
| Geography — Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life. |
| Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. |
| Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. |
| Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. |
| Law and Government — Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. |
| 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. |
| Telecommunications — Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems. |
| Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
| Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
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Skills
| Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems. |
| Operation Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. |
| Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| 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. |
| Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
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Abilities
| Spatial Orientation — The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you. |
| Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Glare Sensitivity — The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting. |
| Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. |
| Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
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Work Activities
| Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft. |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
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Work Context
| Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
| Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? |
| Duration of Typical Work Week — Number of hours typically worked in one week. |
| Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable? |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company? |
| Frequency of Decision Making — How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? |
| Responsible for Others' Health and Safety — How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? |
| Freedom to Make Decisions — How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
| Consequence of Error — How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? |
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Job Zone
| Title |
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Education |
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| Related 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. |
| SVP Range |
(6.0 to < 7.0) |
There is 1 recognized apprenticeable specialty associated with this occupation:
Pilot, Ship
To learn about specific apprenticeship opportunities, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor State Apprenticeship Information
website.
For general information about apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with
business, visit the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship
website.
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Education
Percentage of Respondents |
Education Level Required |
46   |
High school diploma or equivalent |
| 38 |
Some college, no degree |
| 9 |
Less than high school diploma |
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Interests
Interest code: RCI
| 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 outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. |
| 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. |
| Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business. |
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Work Styles
| Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. |
| Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
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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. |
| Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
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Related Occupations
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Wages & Employment Trends
National
Median wages data collected from Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
Employment data collected from Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
Industry data collected from Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels.
| Median wages (2012) |
$31.80 hourly, $66,150 annual |
| Employment (2010) |
36,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2010-2020) |
Faster than average (20% to 28%)
|
| Projected job openings (2010-2020) |
20,700 |
| Top industries (2010) |
|
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2012 wage data
and 2010-2020 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
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Job Openings on the Web
Find Jobs
for Pilots, Ship
State & National Job Banks
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Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
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