Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
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 3.5/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.5/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.1/5
- English Languageimportance 2.9/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.5/5
- Physicsimportance 2.5/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.4/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 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
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Spend Time Standing4.5/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.5/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.3/5
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.2/5
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.
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic94% skill match
- Crane and Tower Operators94% skill match
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic93% skill match
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders93% skill match
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders93% skill match
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders93% skill match
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders93% skill match
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood93% 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 3.4/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 2.9/5
- Repairingimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Other Software Used
- FANUC Robotics iRVision
- HotFlo! Die-Shot Monitor
- Intera Systems Hawk-i
- RobotWare DieCast
- Visi-Trak True-Trak 20/20
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
- 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 molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Sheboygan, WI16.52× national avg
- 2Greeley, CO10.38× national avg
- 3Michigan City-La Porte, IN7.67× national avg
- 4Erie, PA7.41× national avg
- 5Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL7.10× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move