Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
What Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers Do
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Production and Processingimportance 3.7/5
- English Languageimportance 3.2/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.1/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.1/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.1/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.8/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.8/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.7/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.7/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6/5
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.5/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders98% skill match
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers97% skill match
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic97% skill match
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders96% skill match
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons96% skill match
- Gas Plant Operators96% skill match
- Pourers and Casters, Metal96% skill match
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.8/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Other Software Used
- Apache Hadoop YARN
- Camstar Manufacturing Execution System MES
- Operational databases
- Statistical process control SPC software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Perseverance
- Self-Control
- Achievement Orientation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
- SocialLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Dalton, GA158.87× national avg
- 2Rome, GA37.27× national avg
- 3Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC26.11× national avg
- 4Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC15.09× national avg
- 5Wilmington, NC13.01× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.