Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
What Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic Do
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 14.2%
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 3.3/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.0/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.9/5
- English Languageimportance 2.6/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.6/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.5/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.4/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.4/5
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 Standing4.8/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6/5
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.3/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.2/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.1/5
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.
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall97% skill match
- Motorboat Operators97% skill match
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers97% skill match
- Sailors and Marine Oilers97% skill match
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners96% skill match
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers96% skill match
- Floor Sanders and Finishers96% skill match
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, 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.
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.0/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 2.9/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 2.8/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.6/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.6/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.6/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.5/5
- Management of Personnel Resourcesimportance 2.5/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
- Stress Tolerance
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
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
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 molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Vineland, NJ11.42× national avg
- 2Chambersburg, PA7.58× national avg
- 3Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA6.27× national avg
- 4Bloomington, IN5.67× national avg
- 5Joplin, MO-KS3.72× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Foundry Mold and CoremakersLateral Move
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except BrickmasonsCareer Change
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasCareer Change
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersLateral Move
See the full career path from Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic →