Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics *
 
Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics
(O*NET 49-3053.00, SOC 49-3053)
What they do
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul small engines used to power lawn mowers, chain saws, recreational sporting equipment, and related equipment.
 
Also called:
Chainsaw Technician, Golf Cart Mechanic, Lawnmower Repair Mechanic, Mechanic, Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technician, Service Technician (Service Tech), Shop Mechanic, Small Engine Mechanic, Small Engine Technician (Small Engine Tech)
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 16.00   $33,280  
25% $ 16.59   $34,500  
Median $ 17.31   $36,000  
75% $ 23.91   $49,730  
90% $ 28.25   $58,760  
 
Average $ 20.13   $41,880  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers
37%
  • Administrative and support services
14%
  • Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries
11%
  • Repair and maintenance
8%
  • Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
7%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Mechanical
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • 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.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Engineering and Technology
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • 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.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Equipment Maintenance
    Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Repairing
    Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Troubleshooting
    Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • Operations 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.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Independence
    Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  • Achievement/Effort
    Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Record repairs made, time spent, and parts used.
  • Test and inspect engines to determine malfunctions, to locate missing and broken parts, and to verify repairs, using diagnostic instruments.
  • Dismantle engines, using hand tools, and examine parts for defects.
  • Repair and maintain gasoline engines used to power equipment such as portable saws, lawn mowers, generators, and compressors.
  • Adjust points, valves, carburetors, distributors, and spark plug gaps, using feeler gauges.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 150
2030 employment 175
Annual percent change
(compounded)
1.6%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
20
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    High school diploma or equivalent
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Moderate-term on-the-job training
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Very Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Some Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require over 3 months up to and including 1 year of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  0%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  0%
Bachelor's degree   0%
Associate's degree   0%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  40%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  48%
Less than high school diploma   12%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Finger Dexterity
    The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Manual Dexterity
    The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Control Precision
    The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Maintain repair or maintenance records.
  • Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
  • Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Disassemble equipment to inspect for deficiencies.
  • Maintain work equipment or machinery.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor