Skills
Rigger Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in riggers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do riggers need?
Riggers need technical skills such as load calculation, sling angles, and hardware selection, plus people skills like precision and communication. They also use tools such as Slings and Shackles.
Technical (hard) skills
- Load calculation
- Sling angles
- Hardware selection
- Signaling
- Machinery moving
- Inspection
People (soft) skills
- Precision
- Communication
- Calm
- Teamwork
Tools, equipment and technology
- Slings
- Shackles
- Hoists
- Spreader bars
- Machinery skates
- Radios
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how riggers put their skills to work:
- How to calculate sling tension at an angle
- How to rig a load with a choker hitch
- How to write a basic lift plan
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Load calculation” and “Sling angles.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “precision,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as NCCCO Rigger Level I and II near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our rigger glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Rigger training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.