Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do
Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
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
- 1%
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 4.2/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.5/5
- Chemistryimportance 3.4/5
- English Languageimportance 3.4/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.3/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.3/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.2/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 3.1/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Time Pressure4.9/5
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.6/5
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.4/5
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.
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers97% skill match
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall96% skill match
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic96% skill match
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas96% skill match
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders95% skill match
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders95% skill match
- Hoist and Winch Operators95% skill match
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons95% 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 3.3/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.6/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.6/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Hazardous materials management HMS software
- Oracle Advanced Procurement
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
- Perseverance
- 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
- 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 plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Columbus, IN22.67× national avg
- 2Monroe, MI12.69× national avg
- 3Battle Creek, MI7.63× national avg
- 4Jackson, MI6.87× national avg
- 5Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI6.36× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass FibersLateral Move
- Pourers and Casters, MetalLateral Move
See the full career path from Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic →