Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
What Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Do
Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.
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.
- Mechanicalimportance 3.9/5
- Production and Processingimportance 3.5/5
- English Languageimportance 3.4/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.1/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.9/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.6/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.6/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.6/5
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
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.5/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4/5
- Contact With Others4.4/5
- Time Pressure4.4/5
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 Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic97% skill match
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic95% skill match
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders94% skill match
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic94% skill match
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers94% skill match
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic94% 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 4.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.6/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.0/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
- Repairingimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Other Software Used
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Achievement Orientation
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Control
- Perseverance
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 rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Reading, PA23.60× national avg
- 2South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI7.87× national avg
- 3Decatur, AL7.27× national avg
- 4Pittsburgh, PA6.99× national avg
- 5Michigan City-La Porte, IN6.83× 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
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
See the full career path from Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic →
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
- Tulsa Welding School-Houston (Houston, TX)grads earn ~$47,367
- Tulsa Welding School-Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL)grads earn ~$47,367
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN)grads earn ~$53,579
- Front Range Community College (Westminster, CO)grads earn ~$52,873
- Tulsa Welding School-Tulsa (Tulsa, OK)grads earn ~$47,367