Explore Careers - Job Market Report

in
Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction  (NOC 7372)
Notre Dame-Central-Bonavista Bay Region
Description |  Titles |  Duties |   Related Occupations

Drillers in this unit group operate mobile drilling machines to bore blast holes in open-pit mines and quarries and to bore holes for blasting and for building foundations at construction sites. Blasters in this unit group fill blast holes with explosives and detonate explosives to dislodge coal, ore and rock or to demolish structures. They are employed by mining, quarrying and construction companies and by drilling and blasting contractors.

blaster – surface mining, blaster, construction, driller, construction, foundation drill operator, open-pit blaster, open-pit driller, rotary drilling machine operator.

Drillers in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties:
  • Drive and operate tracked or truck-mounted rotary drilling, air-track or other drilling machines to bore large blast holes to specified depths at staked positions in open-pit mine or quarry
  • Operate drilling machines to drill blast holes in rock at road or other construction sites
  • Operate tracked or truck-mounted drill equipped with auger or other attachment to drill holes for building foundations or pilings
  • May measure location and stake out pattern of holes to be drilled, load blast holes with explosives and detonate explosives to dislodge coal, ore or rock.
Blasters in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties:
  • Read instructions or diagrams, lay out drill pattern and determine depth and diameter of blast holes and conduct field tests to determine type and quantity of explosives required
  • Assemble or direct other workers to assemble primer charges using selected detonators, fuses, detonating cords and other materials
  • Load explosives in blast holes by hand or direct movement of bulk explosives trucks to load holes
  • Connect electrical wires, detonating cords or fuses into series and connect series to blasting machines; press handle or button to detonate charges
  • Handle, store and transport explosives and accessories in accordance with regulations and ensure that safety procedures are observed
  • May operate air-track, rotary, down-the-hole or other drilling machines to drill blast holes or may direct drilling of blast holes.
Included Cities in Region | Service Canada Offices

Bishop's Falls, Bonavista, Botwood, Catalina, Clarenville-Shoal Harbour, Gambo, Gander, Gillesport, Grand Falls-Windsor, Hare Bay, La Scie, Lewisporte, Musgrave Harbour, New-Wes-Valley, Port Union, Springdale

View a list of Service Canada offices in this area.

Outlook & Prospects for Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction in Notre Dame-Central-Bonavista Bay Region

The future forecast and current conditions for an occupation can vary based on location or due to changes in the economy, technology, or demand for a product or service.

National Outlook – 10-Year Projection (2011-2020)

This section provides labour demand and labour supply projections for this occupation over the 2011-2020 period.

Note: The tables, graphs and middle paragraph shown under this section display updated 2011-2020 projection results. The remaining narrative text (2009-2018 projections) will be updated shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The data in the following table are derived from HRSDC’s Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS). COPS uses a variety of models to produce a detailed 10-year labour market projection per broad skill level and per occupation at the national level, which focuses on the trends of labour supply and labour demand over the next ten years.

This occupation (Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction) is part of a larger occupational group called Crane Operators, Drillers and Blasters (NOC 737).

Table on the demographic profile for your chosen occupation at the national level.
Occupations in this group Crane Operators (7371) 
Drillers and Blasters – Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction (7372) 
Water Well Drillers (7373) 
Employment (non-student) in 2010 16,357
Median Age of workers in 2010 42
Average Retirement Age in 2010 63

Occupation Projection for Canada

Over the 2008-2010 period, this occupation experienced a drop in employment while the unemployment rate increased sharply. It was 11.7% in 2010, well above the rate for all occupations (7.6%). However, the average hourly wage in this occupation increased more quickly than the average for all occupations. According to key labour market indicators, the number of job seekers was sufficient to fill job openings in this occupation.

Over the 2011-2020 period, an occupation will be in excess demand (a shortage of workers) if the projected number of job openings is significantly greater than the projected number of job seekers. An occupation will be in excess supply (a surplus of workers) if the projected number of job openings is smaller than the projected number of job seekers. For Crane Operators, Drillers And Blasters, over the 2011-2020 period, job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) are expected to total 7,789 and 6,700 job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) are expected to be available to fill the job openings.

Based on projections and considering that labour supply and demand in this occupation were balanced, it is expected that the number of job seekers will remain sufficient to fill job openings over the 2011-2020 period. The majority of job openings will arise from retirements, despite a retirement rate similar to the average for all occupations. Very few job openings will arise from expansion demand over the projection period, but will be greater than those observed over the 2001-2010 period. The economic recovery, particularly in non-residential construction, will stop the decline in employment in this occupation. In terms of supply, slightly more than half of job seekers will come directly from the school system. The rest of the job seekers will come from other occupations.

This Chart contains data for Projection of Job Openings vs. Job Seekers for Canada. Information is available in the following tables.

This Chart contains data for Projection of Job Openings vs. Job Seekers for Canada. Information is available in the following tables.
Table of job opening projections for the occupational group containing your chosen occupation.
Category Openings %
Expansion Demand 2,534 33%
Retirements 4,344 56%
Other Replacement Demand 532 7%
Emigration 379 5%
Projected Job Openings 7,789 100%
Table of job seeker projections for the occupational group containing your chosen occupation.
Category Seekers %
School Leavers 3,567 53%
Immigration 250 4%
Other 2,883 43%
Projected Job Seekers 6,700 100%

In which industry or sector do people in this occupation find jobs in Canada?

This table shows the industry and sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.

This table shows the industry sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.
Industry / Sector %
Construction 53.80
Mining and oil and gas extraction 29.40
Professional, scientific and technical services 5.60

What percentage of people in this occupation are self-employed?

The graph displays the percentage of people in this occupation who are “self-employed”, according to the 2006 Census, in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

As shown in the graph, according to the 2006 Census, 8% of people in this occupation were self-employed, while the average for all occupations was 12%.

The data from the Labour Force Survey (2009) regarding self-employment for this group are not sufficiently reliable to be published.

What percentage of people in this occupation are members of a union?

This occupation (Drillers and Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying and Construction) is part of a larger group called Crane Operators, Drillers and Blasters (NOC 737). According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), the unionization rate for this group was 55%, while the unionization rate for all occupations was 31%.

Please consult the Notre Dame-Central-Bonavista Bay Region and Newfoundland and Labrador tabs for more useful information related to outlook.