high rigger
Key facts
Do you thrive at heights and enjoy the challenge of complex construction? As a high rigger, you’ll be responsible for building and maintaining temporary suspension structures, ensuring the safety and success of performances and events.
High riggers play a vital role in supporting performances and events by assembling and hoisting temporary suspension structures. Working from heights, often using rope access techniques, you’ll follow detailed instructions, plans, and calculations to create safe and reliable rigging systems. This occupation demands precision, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to safety, as you frequently work above colleagues and handle heavy loads.
- • Assemble and hoist temporary suspension structures according to plans and calculations.
- • Perform rope access techniques to reach and work at height.
- • Collaborate with ground riggers to unload and assemble components.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Malta and 1 more.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
Explore More
Find your career path and explore the science behind our recommendations.
Could high rigger fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Support?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Cooperation?
Future Outlook for high rigger
The outlook for high rigger reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could high rigger change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could high rigger change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- work ergonomically
- provide first aid
- use personal protection equipment
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- write risk assessment on performing arts production
- use technical documentation
- use rope access techniques
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Construction
A typical day as a high rigger
09 09:00 · Morning maintain rigging equipment
10 10:30 · Mid-morning assemble performance equipment
12 12:00 · Midday assemble truss constructions
14 14:00 · Afternoon hang chain hoists
15 15:30 · Late afternoon promote health and safety
17 17:00 · Wrap-up store performance equipment
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
-
work ergonomically
Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
-
use personal protection equipment
Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
-
work with respect for own safety
Apply the safety rules according to training and instruction and based on a solid understanding of the prevention measures and risks to your own personal health and safety.
-
follow safety procedures when working at heights
Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.
-
hang chain hoists
Install chain hoists in building constructions.
-
maintain rigging equipment
Check rigging equipment before fitting up, and make small repairs if necessary.
-
react to emergency situations in a live performance environment
Assess and react to an emergency (fire, threat, accident or another calamity), alerting emergency services and taking appropriate measures to safeguard or evacuate workers, participants, visitors or audience according to the established procedures.
-
evacuate people from heights
Safely evacuate people from heights using rope access techniques.
-
provide first aid
Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.
-
write risk assessment on performing arts production
Assess risks, propose improvements and describe measures to be taken on a production level in performing arts.
-
work safely with machines
Check and safely operate machines and equipment required for your work according to manuals and instructions.
-
use communication equipment
Set up, test and operate different types of communication equipment such as transmission equipment, digital network equipment, or telecommunications equipment.
-
assemble performance equipment
Set up sound, light and video equipment on stage before performance event according to specifications.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
See whether this role fits your Career DNA
Take the free Career DNA assessment to see how high rigger aligns with your interests, work style, and future path. In less than 10 minutes, you will get a personalized fit signal and a roadmap for what to do next.
Scan to continue on mobileGrowth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does high rigger fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of training or experience is needed to become a high rigger?
- While specific requirements vary, a strong foundation in construction, rigging, or a related field is typically expected. Practical experience and ongoing training in safety procedures, equipment operation, and rope access techniques are essential. Plans and calculations are key to this role.
- What are the biggest safety concerns for a high rigger?
- Working at heights inherently carries risks. Key safety concerns include falls, equipment failure, and ensuring the structural integrity of the rigging system. Constant vigilance, adherence to safety protocols, and regular equipment inspections are crucial for mitigating these risks.
- How does a high rigger’s work differ from that of a ground rigger?
- High riggers focus on the aerial assembly and maintenance of rigging systems, often working at significant heights. Ground riggers primarily handle the unloading, ground-level assembly, and support of equipment and structures, working in close coordination with the high rigger.
- High Rigger — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 3 of the 5 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Bulgaria, Finland. 2 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- High Rigger — what does it pay in the United States?
- $62,060 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $37,440 to $105,600. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.