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Crane & Tower Operator

Logistics

Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Logistics & Supply Chain

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
  2. 2Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
  3. 3Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
  4. 4Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
  5. 5Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.
  6. 6Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
  7. 7Load or unload bundles from trucks, or move containers to storage bins, using moving equipment.
  8. 8Inspect bundle packaging for conformance to regulations or customer requirements, and remove and batch packaging tickets.
  9. 9Review daily work or delivery schedules to determine orders, sequences of deliveries, or special loading instructions.
  10. 10Direct truck drivers backing vehicles into loading bays and cover, uncover, or secure loads for delivery.
  11. 11Weigh bundles, using floor scales, and record weights for company records.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Stripper
  • Winchman
  • Derrickman
  • Mold Shaker
  • Mold Washer
  • Crane Driver
  • Mold Shifter
  • Dross Skimmer
  • Crane Operator
  • Ingot Stripper

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-secondary certificate

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Mechanical71%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Mathematics60%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Transportation59%
  • English Language58%

    English

  • Public Safety and Security55%
  • Building and Construction54%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentEvery day
  • Time spent sittingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Inspect crane site conditions to determine ground stability.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

0%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Crane, Hoist and Related Plant Operators · Shortage indicators met: 2/11

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Commercial Pilot

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Crane and Tower Operators

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org