Education and Compensation

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that a degree is not necessary for roughneck positions. However, some individuals have a high school degree or GED certificate. You must be at least 18 years old to enter the profession. As of 2011, a roughneck earned an average annual salary of $31,000, according to online job resource Simply Hired.
  
  

Professional Affiliations

• A roughneck performs the same tasks as other professionals. If you become a roughneck, you can execute the duties of a roustabout, roustabout pusher, oil field roustabout or floor hand, according to O*Net Online, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational research branch. Other professionals with similar duties as roughnecks include roustabout hands and roustabout crew leaders.
  
  

Tools

• As a roughneck, you polish your skills with the tools of the trade. These include pipe retrieval fishing tools, air or electric hoists, oilfield production spoolers and deck grinders. Other tools include safety harnesses or belts, maintenance software and project management applications.
  
  

Mechanical Skills

• As a roughneck, you must know how to use machines and equipment necessary in drilling operations. You also must be familiar with machinery designs and be able to identify malfunctions.
  
  

Operation Monitoring

• In an oil-drilling operation, a roughneck pays close attention to specific tools and equipment to prevent accidents. If you're a roughneck, your employer expects you to watch gauges, dials and other indicators to make sure machines are working properly.
  
  

Critical Thinking

• Most experienced roughnecks display analytical skills when executing tasks. As a roughneck, your boss expects you to use logic and reasoning to determine the best ways to perform tasks. Critical thinking also enables you to analyze a problem and come up with the best way to solve it.
  
  

Equipment Maintenance and Repairing

• If you work in an oil-drilling or mining operation, you must have troubleshooting skills. Most experienced roughnecks work under the supervision of senior crew members, performing routine maintenance on equipment. Maintenance and repair activities help roughnecks determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  
  

Judgment and Decision Making

• This skill refers to how roughnecks help oil-drilling operations save money. As a roughneck apprentice, your boss may ask that you consider the relative costs and benefits of specific actions and recommend appropriate solutions.