How to Land a Top-Paying Cutting Job: Your Complete Guide to Opportunities, Resumes and Cover Letters, Interviews, Salaries, Promotions, What to Expect From Recruiters and More. Weeks Carl
or tool and die maker roles. For more information, see the profiles on industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers, millwrights, and machinists and tool and die makers.
Skilled workers with good communication and analytical skills may move into supervisory positions.
Important Qualities
Computer skills. Modern technology systems require that metal and plastic machine workers be able to use programmable devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor.
Mechanical skills. Although modern technology has brought a lot of computer-based systems to this occupation, metal and plastic machine workers still set up and operate machinery. They must be comfortable working with machines and have a good understanding of how the machines and all their parts work.
Physical strength. Although most material handling is done using automated systems or is mechanically aided, some metal and plastic machine workers must be strong enough to guide and load heavy and bulky parts and materials into machines.
Stamina. Metal and plastic machine workers must be able to stand for long periods and perform repetitive work.
Pay
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
Median hourly wages, May 2010
Total, All Occupations
$16.27
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
$15.34
Production Occupations
$14.58
All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
The median hourly wage of metal and plastic machine workers was $15.34 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.96, and the top 10 percent earned more than $23.57.
Wages for metal and plastic machine workers vary by size of the company, union status, industry, and skill level and experience of the operator.
In May 2010, median hourly wages for metal and plastic machine workers were as follows:
$22.07 for computer numerically controlled machine tool programmers, metal and plastic
$20.55 for model makers, metal and plastic
$18.49 for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
$17.88 for patternmakers, metal and plastic
$17.63 for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$17.47 for milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$16.70 for computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic
$16.66 for lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$16.36 for pourers and casters, metal
$16.26 for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
$16.13 for forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$15.86 for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$15.56 for drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$15.30 for multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$15.26 for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$14.74 for grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$14.66 for foundry mold and coremakers
$14.12 for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$13.93 for plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
$13.54 for molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Most metal and plastic machine workers are employed full time during regular business hours. Overtime is common, and because many manufacturers run the machinery long hours, evening and weekend work also is common.
Job Outlook
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20
Total, All Occupations
14%
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
6%
Production Occupations
4%
All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
Employment of metal and plastic machine workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Employment will be affected by advances in technology, changing demand for the goods these workers produce, foreign competition, and the reorganization of production processes.
One of the most important factors influencing employment growth in these occupations is the use of labor-saving machinery. Many firms are adopting new technologies, such as computer-controlled machine tools and robots, to improve quality, lower production costs, and remain competitive. The switch to computer-controlled machinery requires computer programmers instead of machine setters, operators, and tenders. The lower-skilled manual machine tool operator and tender jobs are more likely to be eliminated by these new technologies because the computer-controlled machinery does the work more effectively.
The demand for metal and plastic machine workers also is affected by the demand for the parts they produce. Both the plastic and metal manufacturing industries face stiff foreign competition that is limiting the orders for parts produced in this country. Some U.S. manufacturers have recently sent their production to foreign countries, limiting jobs for machine setters and operators.
Job Prospects
Despite slower than average employment growth, a number of these jobs are expected to become available for highly skilled workers because of an expected increase in retirements, primarily of baby boomers, in the coming years.
In addition, workers who have a thorough background in machine operations, certifications from industry associations, and a good working knowledge of the properties of metals and plastics should have the best job opportunities.
Employment projections data for metal and plastic machine workers, 2010-20
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2010 Projected Employment, 2020 Change, 2010-20 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
— 939,700 995,800 6 56,100 —
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic
51-4011 125,100 149,000 19 24,000
Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic
51-4012 16,600 18,300 11 1,800
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4021