Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
What Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do
Set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
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
- Mechanicalimportance 3.5/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.1/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.9/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.9/5
- Food Productionimportance 2.8/5
- English Languageimportance 2.8/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.8/5
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
- Spend Time Standing4.5/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4/5
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment4.3/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.3/5
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.
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas95% skill match
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders95% skill match
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic95% 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 3.8/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.8/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Other Software Used
- Operational databases
- Production scheduling software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Achievement Orientation
- Perseverance
- Integrity
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
- ArtisticLow
- EnterprisingLow
- 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, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Vineland, NJ17.78× national avg
- 2Clarksville, TN-KY8.29× national avg
- 3Terre Haute, IN6.98× national avg
- 4Gettysburg, PA5.94× national avg
- 5Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI5.41× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and TendersLateral Move
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move