Specialization matters in underground construction. A directional drill operator should be excellent at drilling. A welder should know how to weld. An equipment operator should understand their machine.
However, Atlas Group also values underground construction career skills that let employees step outside their primary role when the project needs help.
Kyler Woody describes the goal as being a “jack of all, master of one.”
That means having one area where you are especially strong while understanding enough of the surrounding work to support the crew.
Underground Construction Projects Need More Than One Skill
A directional drilling or auger boring project involves many different tasks.
Depending on the project, the crew may need people who can:
- Operate a directional drill
- Locate a drill head
- Mix and monitor drilling fluid
- Run an excavator or skid steer
- Fuse pipe
- Weld casing
- Drive a tractor-trailer
- Operate a vacuum truck
- Handle water and drilling-fluid disposal
- Load and unload equipment
- Build or support the final pipeline
Not every person needs to be an expert in every task.
The advantage comes from having enough understanding to help when the project changes.
The Best Driller May Also Know How to Locate
Atlas Group's directional drill operators often understand several positions on the crew.
Many can locate, mix drilling fluid, operate excavation equipment, and work with pipe.
Their best skill may still be drilling. That is why they spend most of their time in the drill seat.
However, knowing the locator's job makes the driller better at communicating. Understanding drilling fluid helps the operator recognize why returns or ground conditions matter.
Cross-training gives employees a better picture of the entire process.
Atlas Group even has crew members who switch between drilling and locating depending on the project.
That can give an operator a mental break from the drill seat while keeping an experienced person in another critical role.
Versatility Helps When Someone Is Away
Construction crews do not operate in perfect conditions every day.
Someone gets sick. An employee needs to go home. A family event comes up. A project suddenly needs another operator.
A crew filled with people who understand only one task becomes difficult to adjust.
A well-rounded crew has more options.
If one person needs to leave, someone else may be able to locate, operate equipment, weld, or handle another responsibility until the crew adjusts.
That flexibility is one reason Atlas Group values employees who continue learning skills outside their primary position.
It also helps the company support employees when life happens.
A CDL Can Be More Valuable When Paired With Field Skills
Truck drivers play an important role in underground construction.
Heavy equipment, tooling, water, pipe, and support equipment all need transportation.
Atlas Group values Class A CDL holders, especially people who want something different from traditional over-the-road trucking.
A driver can deliver equipment and still participate in the project.
The position becomes even more valuable when that employee has another field skill.
A CDL holder who can also weld may transport equipment to an auger boring project and then help weld casing. A driver who understands locating or field support can contribute after the truck is unloaded.
That combination creates more opportunities for the employee and more flexibility for the crew.
Vacuum Truck Operators Are Part of the Drilling System
Another support position that does not always receive much attention is the vacuum truck operator.
Directional drilling uses large amounts of fluid.
Someone needs to move that material, vacuum drilling mud, transport it for disposal, or return it to a reclaiming system.
That work can require a CDL while also placing the employee directly within the drilling operation.
Understanding the larger process helps the operator anticipate what the crew needs instead of simply waiting for instructions.
Equipment Operators Support Nearly Every Project
Directional drilling may be trenchless, but excavation equipment still plays a major role.
Crews may need excavators, skid steers, dozers, or other equipment to:
- Dig access holes
- Expose utilities
- Handle pipe
- Load and unload equipment
- Backfill excavations
- Place road plates
- Prepare the site
Many experienced directional drill operators can also run this equipment.
That does not mean they are always the best excavator operator on the project.
It means they understand enough to help when necessary.
That distinction is important. Being well-rounded does not mean pretending to be an expert at everything.
Knowing the Pipe Side Makes You a Better Driller
Directional drilling can install many different products.
One project may involve gas. Another may involve water, sewer, power, or other infrastructure.
The machine may be creating an underground path in every case, but the finished installation can have very different requirements.
Employees who understand pipe assembly, fusion, tie-ins, and installation requirements have more context when they operate the drill.
They understand why depth matters. They know why the final product may have limits on bending or handling. They also see how their part of the project affects the crews working before and after them.
That broader knowledge supports better decisions.
Well-Rounded Employees Have More Career Options
Cross-training also helps employees build a longer career.
Someone may begin as a laborer and learn equipment. An equipment operator may become interested in directional drilling. A CDL driver may develop welding skills. A locator may eventually move into the drill seat.
Underground construction does not have to be a single straight career path.
The more of the process you understand, the more opportunities you may be able to pursue.
That does not mean collecting skills simply to add them to a resume.
The real value comes from understanding how those skills work together on an active project.
Cross-Training Supports Better Teamwork
People communicate better when they understand each other's responsibilities.
A driller who has located understands why the locator needs time to plan ahead.
An operator who has mixed drilling fluid understands why the mud person may need to stop and make an adjustment.
A foreman who has worked several field positions has a better sense of what the crew needs to complete the project.
This shared understanding can reduce friction on difficult jobs.
Instead of seeing another role as someone else's problem, employees understand how that task affects their own work.
Be a Jack of All Trades and Master of One
Atlas Group does not expect every employee to be the best at every job.
The goal is to build crews where people have a specialty but can still support each other.
For someone building underground construction career skills, useful experience may include equipment operation, welding, CDL driving, pipe work, locating, drilling-fluid management, or other field responsibilities.
Atlas Group is always willing to talk with people interested in careers such as operator, directional drill operator, gas distribution tech, and foreman.
Develop a specialty. Become excellent at it. Then keep learning enough about the work around you to make the entire crew stronger.
Interested in a career with Atlas Group? View Open Positions or Contact Atlas Group to learn more about opportunities in directional drilling, gas distribution, equipment operation, and field leadership