MBTI® Test ISTP Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Strong Interest Inventory® General Occupational Theme Code: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative (RCI) (GOT)

The characteristics of certain Myers-Briggs® Personality Types (MBTI®) tend to synergize with specific working environments. Knowing your MBTI test personality ­type allows you to assess when your natural preferences will be a benefit while at work. A popular and accessible category of ISTP careers includes operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. These jobs create environments that favor those individuals who are perceptive, have a keen sense of their environment, and approach situations with logic. Those that are expedient and believe in economy of effort also tend to fit well in these positions. These aspects are all in line with the preferences of the Introverted-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving (ISTP) MBTI personality type.

Image courtesy of domdeen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of domdeen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

On any given day, persons in an operating engineer or other construction equipment operator ISTP career position often find themselves performing a variety of tasks revolving around heavy equipment such as bulldozers, motor graders, scrapers, and tractors. Initial tasks include monitoring operations on the site to ensure that all health and safety protocols are met, taking action to avoid potential hazards or obstructions. Specific operations may include testing the atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can also coordinate machine actions with other activities, responding to hand or audio signals to position or move loads. They spend a fair amount of their time driving and maneuvering equipment with blades in successive passes over work areas to remove debris and level earth or terrain. In some positions, they may be responsible for repairing and maintaining specific equipment. Specialized work may also be required, including using equipment such as pile drivers, drillers, concrete pumpers, and dredging rigs.

A variety of tools are necessary to complete these tasks including dump trucks, front end loaders, land drilling rigs, power saws, skid steer loaders, water trucks, and scrubbing machines. The specific equipment may vary project to project. These tools require specific mechanical knowledge related to each piece of equipment along with a general knowledge of materials, methods, and tools involved in the construction or repair of structures such as buildings, roads, or highways.

Being a very physical occupational pathway makes it so that certain skills are very important for these ISTP careers, but they are not limited to the physical spectrum. The various necessary skills include the ability to control operations of equipment and systems, assess the performance of yourself and other individuals or organizations to make improvements, adjust actions in relation to others’ actions, as well as perform routine maintenance on equipment and determine the cause of operating errors. Strong Multi-limb coordination along with control precision in various weather conditions is also very important to this career path.

Due to the more physical nature of this career, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators generally only require a high school diploma, related on-the-job experience as well as a few months to a year of on-the-job training. In addition, having a compatible Myers-Briggs personality type can help increase the likelihood that will you enjoy your profession as an operating engineer or other construction equipment operator.

Below find employment trends for Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operators:

  • Median wage: $23.55 hourly, $48,980 annually
  • Employment: 402,400 employees
  • Projected growth (2018-2028): Faster than average (7% to 10%)
  • Projected job openings (2018-2028): 52,500

Visit Our MBTI® About Page and Our ISTP Personality Type Page For Detailed Information on The ISTP Personality Type

Visit Our Strong Interest Inventory® Resource Page To Learn About The RCI GOT

ISTP Careers

Click on one of these corresponding popular ISTP Careers for detailed information including Career Stats, Income Stats, Daily Tasks and Required Education: Agricultural Inspector, Automotive Master Mechanic, Avionics Technician, Civil Engineering Technician, Construction & Building Inspector, Electric Power-Line Installer & Repairer, Forest & Conservation Worker, Light Truck or Delivery Driver, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, and Operating Engineer or Other Construction Equipment Operator.

Learn More About the MBTI ISTP Personality Type

Explore additional information that delves deeper into the ISTP Personality Type by examining various personality and career based subjects:

Click on a link below to read more about different MBTI Personality Types

ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections Onetonline.org

MBTI® Type Tables for Occupations, 2nd Edition. Schaubhut, N. & Thompson, R. (CPP, 2008)

Introduction To Type and Careers, Hammer, A. (CPP, 1996)