Also called: Longshoreman, Dockworker, Stevedore
Loads, unloads, and lashes cargo on ships at port terminals.
Longshore workers drive yard trucks, lash containers to decks with steel bars, guide crane lifts, and handle cars, steel, and lumber off ships. Work is assigned daily through a union hiring hall, often day, night, or weekend shifts.
Pay varies enormously: union registered longshore workers often earn $100k-$200k+ with overtime; casual or non-union port labor earns much less.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. No degree; join the casual list at a union (ILWU on the West Coast, ILA on the East and Gulf Coasts) and work up to registered status, which can take years.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Apprenticeship. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. Automated yards and gates trim jobs at new terminals; union contracts and messy cargo keep many hands-on roles.
Classes: Physical education, Shop class, Driver's ed.
Official data: O*NET occupation 53-7062.
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