How To Become An Operating Engineer Apprentice: What It Is and Career Path

What is an operating engineer apprentice and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an operating engineer apprentice. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.89 an hour? That's $55,924 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 22,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreOperating Engineer ApprenticeUS Average

Salary

4.4

Avg. Salary $55,924

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.9

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.90%

Asian 0.94%

Black or African American 7.94%

Hispanic or Latino 16.58%

Unknown 4.33%

White 68.31%

Gender

female 12.66%

male 87.34%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an operating engineer apprentice

Explore operating engineer apprentice education requirements

Most common operating engineer apprentice degrees

Bachelor's

41.9 %

Associate

25.8 %

High School Diploma

19.4 %

Start to develop specific operating engineer apprentice skills

Skills	Percentages
Mechanical Equipment	39.83%
Plumbing	29.91%
CDL	8.96%
Cooling Towers	6.59%
Mechanical Systems	6.59%

Complete relevant operating engineer apprentice training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New operating engineers apprentice learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an operating engineer apprentice based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real operating engineer apprentice resumes.

Research operating engineer apprentice duties and responsibilities

Edit geotechnical and tunneling drawings using AutoCAD and MicroStation.
Assist with plumbing and work as a temporary employee.
Integrate technology into curriculum, supplementing class lectures and developing student's researching skills and internet and PowerPoint proficiency.
Remove and install custom size vinyl replacement windows for residential homes and commercial

Prepare your operating engineer apprentice resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your operating engineer apprentice resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable operating engineer apprentice resume templates

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