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Grain Elevator Operator

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources cluster Plant Systems pathway.

Insider Info

Additional Information

You need a high school education and experience working in and around elevators. Pesticide dispenser's licenses may be required in some locations. The company often provides seminars or workshops related to safety and other issues.

David Krejci is the executive vice-president of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society. He says more elevator operators are being hired with degrees in agricultural engineering or other backgrounds in which they have acquired management skills and technological skills.

"Jobs are becoming more complex," he says. "The level of skill needed for those job is much higher than it used to be. Companies used to promote people based on job training. Now they need management skills, human relation management skills, and technical skills for operating the machinery.

"Many people in grain operations have college degrees with agricultural engineering backgrounds or some other combination of backgrounds and skills. Business management is important because they are responsible for the overall operations of the facility."

"Get a diploma at the minimum," says Michael Moors, who works for a wheat pool. "A degree is better yet. The jobs are becoming more complex. The responsibilities are growing. You need that education and training. And once you are hired, you need to keep on taking training so you can keep up with changing requirements and conditions."

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

Support