Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Dig, rake, and screen soil, filling cold frames and hot beds in preparation for planting.
• Provide information and advice to the public regarding the selection, purchase, and care of products.
• Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
• Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
• Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
• Load agricultural products into trucks, and drive trucks to market or storage facilities.
• Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
• Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
• Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
• Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs.
• Identify plants, pests, and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers.
• Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
• Inspect plants and bud ties to assess quality.
• Move containerized shrubs, plants, and trees, using wheelbarrows or tractors.
• Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping.
• Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows or carts and shovels.
• Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
• Record information about plants and plant growth.
• Repair farm buildings, fences, and other structures.
• Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
• Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems.
• Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers.
• Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
• Maintain inventory, ordering materials as required.
• Tie and bunch flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees, wrap their roots, and pack them into boxes to fill orders.
• Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs.
• Feel plants' leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease.
• Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems.
• Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.
• Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems.

Skills

• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

Abilities

• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

Knowledge

• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• 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.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• 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.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• 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.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Education

Education

No formal educational credential

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

Less than 1 month on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

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Education and Training Opportunities

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Pay

Washington Annual Salary

37090/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

17.83/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

73,830

Yearly Projected Openings

11600

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cooperation
• Integrity
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Initiative

Tools

• Adjustable widemouth pliers
• Adjustable wrenches
• Agricultural rollers
• Agricultural tractors
• Air compressors
• Air dryers
• All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled
• Axes
• Battery chargers
• Battery testers
• Broadcast spreaders
• Calipers
• Cargo trucks
• Claw hammer
• Cleaning machines for seed or grain or dried leguminous vegetables
• Coiled tubing injector heads
• Combine harvesters
• Compasses
• Conveyor screw
• Counters
• Cultivators
• Desktop computers
• Digging bars
• Disks
• Dump trucks
• Dusters
• Fertilizer spreaders or distributors
• Forestry increment borers
• Forestry saws
• Forklifts
• Gas generators
• Gas masks
• Global positioning system GPS receiver
• Goggles
• Grease guns
• Greenhouse irrigation equipment
• Greenhouse ventilation equipment
• Grinding machines
• Grinding wheels
• Hacksaw
• Hammers
• Hand sprayers
• Hand trucks or accessories
• Handheld thermometer
• Harvesters
• Hatchets
• Haymaking machinery
• Hedge clippers
• Hex keys
• High branch shears
• Hoes
• Industrial funnels
• Integrated tool carriers
• Irrigation overheads
• Irrigation trickles
• Label making tapes
• Ladders
• Lawnmowers
• Levels
• Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
• Locking pliers
• Masks or accessories
• Measuring rods
• Measuring wheels for distance
• Moisture meters
• Mowers
• Notebook computers
• Open end wrenches
• Paint brushes
• Paint sprayers
• Picks
• Pipe or tube cutter
• Planters
• Ploughs
• Pocket calculator
• Pollination equipment or supplies
• Post hole digger
• Power blowers
• Power drills
• Power saws
• Power trimmers
• Pressure or steam cleaners
• Protective coveralls
• Pry bars
• Pull spring balances
• Putty knives
• Rakes
• Respirators
• Rubber mallet
• Rulers
• Saws
• Screwdrivers
• Secateurs or pruning shears
• Seed drills
• Seeder attachment
• Sharpening stones or tools or kits
• Shovels
• Sledge hammer
• Socket sets
• Soil core sampling apparatus
• Spades
• Sprayers
• Staple guns
• Stationary separation equipment or parts or screens
• Surface thermometers
• Tape measures
• Threshing machines
• Transplanters
• Trowels
• Utility knives
• Water sprinklers
• Wheelbarrows
• Wood chisels
• pH meters

Technology

• Data base user interface and query software
• Electronic mail software
• Internet browser software
• Mobile location based services software
• Office suite software
• Presentation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software