Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
What Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Do
Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.
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
- 3.8%
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 3.2/5
- Mechanicalimportance 3.2/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.6/5
- Mathematicsimportance 2.6/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.3/5
- English Languageimportance 2.2/5
- Designimportance 2.1/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 2.1/5
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
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.9/5
- Exposed to Contaminants4.8/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6/5
- Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.5/5
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.
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons98% skill match
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic97% skill match
- Semiconductor Processing Technicians97% skill match
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers96% skill match
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators96% skill match
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders96% skill match
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators96% skill match
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders96% 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 3.1/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.8/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.8/5
- Coordinationimportance 2.6/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Automated inventory software
- Computerized numerical control CNC software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
- Perseverance
- Integrity
- 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
- SocialLow
- ArtisticLow
- 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 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Longview-Kelso, WA16.76× national avg
- 2Tuscaloosa, AL9.93× national avg
- 3Redding, CA8.26× national avg
- 4Albany, OR8.16× national avg
- 5Bend, OR7.89× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticLateral Move
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersLateral Move
See the full career path from Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood →
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.