Machine Operator

Answer 1

A machine operator runs a variety of machines in a manufacturing company. He may operate machines such as forklifts or machines that tool parts. The most common types of machines are precision grinders, boring machines, milling machines, lathes, and drill presses. A machine operator is a generalist in manufacturing.

Required Education

A beginning machine operator needs only basic training. A high school graduate who has attended vocational/technical training may be hired for a first-tier vacancy with most manufacturers. Both the National Institute for Metalworking Skills and the Society of Plastics Industry have developed job standards and certifications for basic machine operators in each sector. While working as a basic machine operator, one can attend a vocational/technical school or a local community college to earn an associate’s degree. If desired, the associate’s degree can articulate into the first two years towards a bachelor’s degree in most states.

Salary and Projected Industry Growth

Manufacturing is key to the economic health of a country. According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately nine out of every ten jobs are found in manufacturing. The Bureau expects the number of basic machine operators to decline sharply due to increased reliance on technology, foreign competition, and improved production processes. However, it also expects an increase in the number of vacancies even as the overall number of machine operators declines due to the number of baby boomers in such positions who are rapidly approaching retirement. The Bureau also anticipates a sharp increase in the number of advanced machine operators, especially those operators trained in the field of robotics in response to increased reliance on improved technology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage for a multiple machine operator as of May 2009 was $32,860, with the middle fifty percent earning $31,200, the lowest ten percent comprised of starting salaries earning $20,910, and the highest ten percent earning $48,130.