Golden State Career Videos

Education and Training
Although no special education is required for most operating jobs, employers prefer to hire applicants with good basic skills. Many require employees to have a high school education and to read, write, and speak English. This is especially true for NC machine operators, who may need to be retrained often in order to learn to operate new equipment. Those interested in becoming metalworking or plastics-working machine operators can improve their employment opportunities by completing high school courses in shop, mathematics, and blueprint reading and by gaining a working knowledge of the properties of metals and plastics. A few weeks of on-the-job training is sufficient for most workers to learn basic machine operations, but several years are required to become a skilled operator. Metalworking and plastics-working machine operators learn their skills on the job. Trainees begin by observing and assisting experienced workers, often in formal training programs. Under supervision they may supply material, start and stop the machine, or remove finished products from the machine. As part of their training they advance to more difficult tasks like adjusting feed speeds, changing cutting tools, or inspecting a finished product for defects. Eventually they become responsible for their own machines

Skills and Other Requirements
Major technological changes are being introduced to improve productivity and quality in the manufacturing industries. As a result of these new technologies, today's production workers need a higher level of skills. Employers need workers with a knowledge of robotics, computers, Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines, and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Set-up operators often need a thorough knowledge of the machinery and of the products being produced. They may study blueprints, plan the sequence of work, make the first production run, and determine which adjustments need to be made. Strong analytical abilities are particularly important to perform this job. Some companies have formal training programs for set-up operators that combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training. Because machinery is becoming more complex and shop floor organization is changing, employers increasingly look for persons with good communication and interpersonal skills. Mechanical aptitude, manual dexterity, and experience working with machinery are also helpful.