Over the following two thousand years, ships provided the primary means of engaging in commerce and exploration across vast oceans. On land, camels, horses, and other animals transported people and goods across large distances. Without the ability to travel and transport goods, civilizations would not have been able to trade with one another or to share technological and cultural advances. Today t…
Good jobs do not magically appear. Anyone who has been in the job market knows that landing the right job takes planning, preparation, perseverance, and patience. This is true whether you are looking for your first job, reentering the job market, trying to get a new job, or planning a mid-career change. This essay is designed to guide you through the process of finding a job, from helping you defi…
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$21,570 per year Employment Outlook Good Airline baggage and freight handlers take care of the freight and luggage that passes through airports. Freight handlers must sometimes weigh the freight and prepare the shipping orders before the freight is put on the plane. Baggage handlers take luggage off planes that have landed and put baggage on …
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$27,750 per year Employment Outlook Poor Airline reservations agents help customers book flights on major airlines. When customers call to make reservations, agents enter the destination and desired date and time into the airline's computer system. It locates available flights and the best connections if more than one flight is necessa…
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$28,420 per year Employment Outlook Poor Airline ticket agents sell tickets at airports or downtown ticket offices. They also assign seats for passengers and rebook passengers who miss their flights. They often answer questions about airline schedules, fares, hotels, and taxis. Agents also handle passengers' luggage. First they weigh i…
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$21,570 per year Employment Outlook Fair Airport utility workers are usually outdoors in all kinds of weather. They may direct incoming and outgoing aircraft near the terminal, using hand or light signals. When the aircraft is stationary, they operate the service vehicles that fill the fuel and water tanks. They add cooling-system and hydraul…
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$16.68 per hour Employment Outlook Good Auto body repairers are skilled workers who fix cars and trucks that have been in collisions. Most of them work for auto body shops, car and truck dealers, and manufacturers. Others work for trucking companies or bus lines, where they repair trucks, truck trailers, or buses. The repairers' superv…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$9.76 per hour Employment Outlook Good Because bicycling is popular as a form of exercise and recreation as well as a means of transportation, specialized mechanics are in demand. They usually work for bicycle shops or for the bicycle departments of large sporting goods or department stores. After determining what repairs or services are needed, mec…
Education and Training High school plus on-the-job training Salary Median—$37,050 per year Employment Outlook Poor Bridge and lock tenders operate bridges and canal locks to permit vessels to pass through inland waterways and dangerous areas near shore. They also monitor and inspect canal and bridge equipment for defects, make minor repairs or adjustments, and report any factors that would …
Education and Training None Salary Median—$8.41 per hour Employment Outlook Good Although it takes a manager and at least two other workers to keep a car wash in operation, most companies have eight employees besides the manager. In large, busy car washes there may be even more. Because car washes specialize in fast service, workers must be willing to work quickly and steadily. Teamwork is …
Education and Training None Salary Median—$9.67 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Dockworkers operate machines that lift and move cargo on and off ships. Working in teams called gangs, they sometimes have to lift pieces of cargo by hand. However, more than ninety percent of all cargo is transported in containers that fit on trucks or railroad cars. Dockworkers are also called longshoremen. S…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$7.54 per hour Employment Outlook Good Gas station cashiers process gas and product purchases. They also provide information and give directions to travelers. Some cashiers work in small gas stations with only a few gas pumps; most work in larger stations that include convenience stores, which sell snacks, beverages, and car and travel accessories s…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$12.78 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Industrial truck operators use specially designed vehicles to move heavy boxes, crates, and drums. They work in many different places, from toy factories to steel mills to supermarkets. Even the federal government employs industrial truck operators for its warehouses. Some of the vehicles have large forks atta…
Education and Training License and training Salary Median—$14.30 per hour Employment Outlook Good Intercity bus drivers carry passengers from city to city, state to state. They work according to timetables and follow fixed routes. On shorter runs a single driver usually does all the driving; longer trips may have a series of drivers. Bus drivers receive their assignments when they arrive at…
Education and Training License plus training Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Local transit operators run buses, subways, and, in some metropolitan areas, trolleys. They provide dependable transportation on fixed schedules. Some jurisdictions run their own transit systems, so operators work for government agencies. In many places, however, they work for private companies th…
Education and Training License Salary Median—$11.80 per hour Employment Outlook Good Local truck drivers transport goods over short distances, usually in light trucks or vans. Most drivers work for businesses that deliver their own products, such as department stores and meat packers, or for trucking companies. Some are employed by the federal government, the U.S. Postal Service, and states…
Education and Training License Salary Median—$16.11 per hour Employment Outlook Good Long-haul truck drivers transport goods over hundreds and even thousands of miles. They may drive flatbed rigs, which are used for carrying steel, or tankers and tractor trailers. They usually drive at night when traffic is light. Long-haul routes are driven by the most experienced drivers because the truck…
Education and Training None Salary Average—$32,000 to $40,000 per year Employment Outlook Good Marine technicians inspect, maintain, and repair boats of all kinds. Using diagnostic equipment, they test and repair boat engines, hulls, propellers, rigging, masts, sails, and navigational equipment. They also install and test sanitation and refrigeration systems, cabinetry, electrical systems, …
Education and Training High school plus training Salary Median—$14.74 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Motorboat mechanics fix and service many kinds of boats. Most of them specialize in boats with outboard motors, which run on gasoline and can be taken off boats easily. Inboard motors, which are usually found in cabin cruisers and larger fishing boats, are not removed except for major repa…
Education and Training On-the-job training Salary Median—$13.70 per hour Employment Outlook Good Motorcycle mechanics service and repair many of the four million motorcycles on the roads. They perform routine tasks, such as adjusting and replacing spark plugs, ignition points, and brakes, as well as major repairs, such as overhauling engines. Most mechanics work for motorcycle shops or deal…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$9.67 per hour Employment Outlook Good Movers load household goods or office equipment onto trucks, transport it to a new location, and then unload it. The may move as few as one or two items or the contents of an entire house or office. Some movers work for large companies that move cargo across the country. Smaller companies operate within state b…
Education and Training License Salary Median—$16,820 per year Employment Outlook Poor In some public and private parking lots, customers hand over their cars to attendants, who then park the cars. When customers return, the attendants quickly find the cars and return them to the customers. Sometimes they take payment and make change for customers, but more often the money is handled by cash…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$7.81 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Parking cashiers issue claim tickets and collect fees when drivers use parking facilities. They also provide information, monitor security conditions in garages and lots, and contact tow trucks or police when needed. Most parking facilities are owned or managed by private companies, but some may be run by munic…
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$22,770 per year Employment Outlook Poor Traditionally, railroad clerks worked in railroad stations, freight houses, yards, terminals, and company offices. But local railroad companies have merged, and most clerks have moved to central offices where data are computerized and procedures are more efficient. They turn out a steady stream of frei…
Education and Training High school Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Poor To keep locomotives and other equipment in good working order, railroad companies hire maintenance workers: machinists, car repairers, boilermakers, blacksmiths, electrical workers, and sheet metal workers. In railroad language, these workers are called non-ops because they are not involved in the actual op…
Education and Training High school and training Salary Median—$21.46 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Railroad signal operators install and maintain the signaling devices used by dispatchers to communicate with train crews. Switch operators control the track switches, usually two sections of rail, that divert the locomotive or cars from one track to another for coupling and uncoupling. Sign…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$19.03 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Railroad track workers build, inspect, maintain, and repair more than three hundred thousand miles of railroad track across the country. Working in crews called road gangs, they inspect the rails, railroad ties, and roadbeds for signs of wear. Other crew members then rebuild washed-out roadbeds, replace railro…
Education and Training High school and license Salary Median—$9.96 per hour Employment Outlook Good Route delivery drivers are truck drivers who sell and deliver goods along local routes. They may sell retail goods and services or wholesale products. Their specific duties vary according to their industries, the policies of their employers, and their role in sales. Retail drivers work direct…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$14 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Sailors work on freighters, tankers, and passenger ships and are responsible for repairing, stowing, and preparing most deck equipment, such as cargo-handling gear. During docking or departing, sailors handle ships' mooring lines. At sea, they stand watch and steer the ship following instructions from the …
Education and Training License Salary Median—$11.18 per hour Employment Outlook Good School bus drivers transport students to and from school and related events. In the morning, they pick students up at designated locations, such as private homes or street corners, and drop them off at school. In the afternoon, they drive back to the school, wait for students to board, and drive them back t…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$8.33 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Service station attendants perform a variety of tasks for motorists and boaters. They pump gasoline, check oil and water levels, clean windshields and other windows, and add air to tires. Most sell and install products, such as spark plugs and windshield-wiper blades. At some stations, attendants check transmis…
Education and Training High school and license Salary Median—$10.81 per hour Employment Outlook Good Special service bus drivers are hired by groups or organizations to drive buses and their passengers to certain places, such as theaters or sports arenas. The businesses are usually called charter bus companies. The passengers do not pay the drivers directly; they arrange payment by the dire…
Education and Training High school and on-the-job training Salary Median—$30,920 per year Employment Outlook Good Taxi dispatchers, also called starters, send cabs off to customers and keep records of all road-service calls. They may stay in touch with the drivers while they are on the road, communicating by phone, computer, or two-way radio. Dispatchers help drivers with problems and answe…
Education and Training Licenses Salary Median—$10.68 per hour Employment Outlook Good Taxi drivers transport passengers for hire. Almost all of them work in cities. Passengers may signal them by hand on the street or find them at hotels and airport terminals. When passengers call cab companies and request taxis, dispatchers contact drivers by two-way radios, cell phones, or computers. At th…
Education and Training None Salary Median—$9.99 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Tire changers and repairers replace or fix the tires, treads, tubes, and related materials on automobiles, trucks, recreational vehicles, aircraft, bulldozers, and other types of vehicles. Also known as tire retreaders, tire-and-tube servicers, or tire fixers, they generally work for automotive service centers …
Education and Training High school Salary Median—$30,920 per year Employment Outlook Good Tow truck dispatchers take calls for emergency service, relay the requests to local service stations or towing companies, and monitor the progress of the tow. Using computer-aided dispatch systems, they keep records and prepare detailed reports of all emergency calls and all communications with towing …
Education and Training High school and on-thejob training Salary Average—$18,000 to $25,000 per year Employment Outlook Good Tow truck operators use specially equipped trucks to move vehicles that have broken down; have been damaged in accidents, abandoned, or impounded by the police; or cannot be driven for some other reason. Operators work for towing companies, service stations, or automo…
Education and Training High school and on-the job training Salary Median—$30,920 per year Employment Outlook Good Truck and bus dispatchers coordinate the movements of trucks and buses entering and leaving terminals. Truck dispatchers assign drivers to trucks and make sure they have the correct freight-charge bills for their loads. Bus dispatchers assign drivers to buses and ensure that the…
Education and Training Some college education and certification Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Fair Aircraft dispatchers, who are also called flight superintendents, schedule flights for airlines and make sure all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations are followed. They draw up flight plans and confer with pilots and flight engineers to determine that flights can b…
Education and Training High school plus training Salary Median—$21.77 per hour Employment Outlook Good Aircraft mechanics—also called airframe mechanics, power plant mechanics, and avionics technicians—service, repair, and inspect airplanes for commercial airlines, private firms, and the military. Although some mechanics are specialists, most have thorough knowledge of all par…
Education and Training High school plus training Salary Median—$43,440 per year Employment Outlook Good Flight attendants are responsible for the safety and personal comfort of airline passengers. While some duties vary by airline and type of aircraft, many of their procedures are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Before flights they are briefed by the captain on emerg…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-road practice, driving instructors prepare students for the exams they must pass to get their driver's permits and licenses. They teach students to operate vehicles and instill respect for state driving laws and parking regulatio…
Education and Training High school plus training Salary Median—$15.68 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Technicians who test vehicle exhaust emissions may work at service stations, at car dealerships, or for the automobile manufacturing industry. Some are employed by state governments in their vehicle inspection programs. By connecting sensors to the exhaust systems of vehicles, the technici…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$15.60 per hour Employment Outlook Good Automotive mechanics inspect, service, and repair the engines, brakes, and other parts of cars, buses, and trucks. They also perform routine maintenance to prevent future breakdowns. Diagnosing problems quickly and accurately requires analytical ability. It also requires a thorough knowled…
Education and Training High school, training, and license Salary Median—$21.30 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Avionics is the application of electronics to the operation of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles. Technicians inspect, test, and repair the electronic components of communication, navigation, and flight-control systems. For example, they may test and replace radar systems using s…
Education and Training High school or college plus training Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Very good Car rental agents usually work for large national companies and are stationed at airports, bus and train terminals, and car rental offices. They specialize in renting vehicles to travelers and others who need cars for short periods, such as businesspeople, vacationers, and driv…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$17.20 per hour Employment Outlook Good Diesel mechanics repair, maintain, and rebuild diesel engines that power buses, trucks, ships, trains, and other vehicles. To repair engines, mechanics run diagnostic tests, find the sources of problems, and then remove and replace faulty parts. Mechanics who maintain engines may check wat…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Poor Stewards and cooks see to the daily needs of passengers and crew aboard ship. They prepare and serve meals and maintain living quarters. All freighters, tankers, and passenger ships employ stewards. Chief stewards supervise the preparation of food. They are also responsible for the maintenance…
Education and Training Some college plus training Salary Median—$38,480 per year Employment Outlook Varies—see profile Parking analysts, also called parking engineering technicians, develop plans for the construction and use of government-owned, multiple-vehicle parking facilities. These facilities may serve hospitals, libraries, or government offices, as well as general municipal pa…
Education and Training High school plus training Salary Median—$22.28 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Railroad conductors supervise train crews and are responsible for the safety of the passengers and crew who ride on their trains. Some conductors, known as road service conductors, work on trains that carry passengers or freight locally or long distances. Other conductors work in the train…
Education and Training High school, training, and license Salary Median—$24.30 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Railroad engineers are also called locomotive engineers. Some run the trains that carry freight or passengers across the country or locally. Yard engineers, by contrast, operate automated systems that move passenger and freight cars into place in rail yards. They add cars to train…
Education and Training College plus training Salary Median—$38,480 per year Employment Outlook Good Traffic technicians gather and analyze data about traffic flow, accidents, and proposed commercial and residential developments. For instance, they may use counters to measure vehicular and pedestrian traffic in specific places at specific times. Based on their findings, they make proposals t…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$47,920 per year Employment Outlook Good Transportation inspectors examine equipment and procedures to ensure that planes, public transportation systems, or railroads conform to federal or state safety regulations. Aviation inspectors examine aircraft, maintenance procedures, air traffic controls, air navigational aids, and comm…
Education and Training Some college education Salary Median—$32.36 per hour Employment Outlook Good Terminal managers are responsible for the smooth operation of trucking centers, which are buildings where freight is loaded or unloaded. They coordinate, direct, and supervise all activities in the terminals. Managers plan and direct operations, including the weighing of freight and choosing …
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$102,030 per year Employment Outlook Fair Air traffic controllers coordinate the movement of aircraft in the air and at airports to prevent accidents and minimize delays. They usually work in teams, tracking planes using radar and visual observation. They consider the weather, including wind velocity and direction, and the numbe…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Pilots fly aircraft of all sizes, transporting passengers and cargo across the state and around the world. They are responsible for the safety of the airplane, its passengers, the crew, and any cargo on board. Most pilots work for major airlines that carry passengers and cargo. Airlines requir…
Education and Training College Salary Median—$47,450 per year Employment Outlook Good Airport managers oversee more than seventeen thousand airports in the United States. Some are large metropolitan airports with hundreds of scheduled flights arriving and departing every day. Others are private airfields with no scheduled flights and very little daily activity. Small airports are generally …
Education and Training College Salary Varies—see profile Employment Outlook Good Fleet managers are responsible for the vehicles owned by major corporations; government agencies; nonprofit organizations; or service organizations such as law enforcement agencies and educational institutions. They may be responsible for fleets ranging in size from several hundred to more than a thousand vehic…
Education and Training College, training, and license Salary Median—$129,250 per year Employment Outlook Fair Flight engineers, sometimes called second officers, play almost as important a part in flying large aircraft as do pilots and copilots. Although they rarely take the controls to fly planes, flight engineers have many other responsibilities both on the ground and onboard aircraft. Be…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$31,530 per year Employment Outlook Good Flight instructors teach students to fly airplanes and prepare them for tests to get licenses. Instructors are highly skilled pilots who have special ratings that allow them to teach. In ground-school classes, they help their students learn specific flying skills—how to read airpla…
Education and Training College Salary Median—$71,932 per year Employment Outlook Good Businesses and manufacturers employ industrial traffic managers, also known as traffic managers, to decide how to transport their products. These employees arrange for the movement of raw materials into their factories and for the transportation of finished products to the markets where the goods are sold.…
Education and Training Advanced degree Salary Median—$24.20 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Captains are in charge of all aspects of their ships' operations. They are responsible to the owners of their ships for the safety of the vessels, the crew, and the passengers or cargo. They maintain crew discipline and keep order. Captains are sometimes called masters. Every captain rose thr…
Education and Training Academy Salary Median—$26.42 per hour Employment Outlook Poor Engineers in the merchant marine monitor and maintain ships' machinery, especially the engines that propel the vessels. They work on all kinds of ships, although most merchant marine ships are freighters or tankers that carry cargo. Chief engineers supervise the seamen in engine departments and are r…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Average—$30,514 per year Employment Outlook Poor All passenger ships and some freighters and tankers employ pursers, who do the complicated paperwork that is necessary each time ships enter ports. They keep their ships' accounts and prepare and keep records of payroll. Pursers also assist passengers whenever necessary. One of th…
Education and Training Varies—see profile Salary Median—$14 per hour Employment Outlook Fair Radio officers work aboard cargo vessels and passenger ships. They use radio, Morse code, and other electronic and satellite communication devices to contact shore headquarters and other ships. In addition, radio officers receive and record time signals, weather reports, and other information…
Education and Training College Salary Median—$64,230 per year Employment Outlook Good Traffic engineers are transportation engineers who specialize in the design and maintenance of safe roads and highways. They determine what kinds of roads are needed to make traffic flow smoothly and then find the most economical ways to build and maintain them. Many engineers work in the highway or street…
Education and Training College Salary Median—$64,230 per year Employment Outlook Good Transportation engineers are civil engineers who design highways, airports, and railway and bus systems. They work for governmental agencies; for consulting firms that troubleshoot for the government; and for private firms that produce materials and equipment used in transportation. Engineers are also teac…
