What do they do?

Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

Also known as:

Equipment Technician, Extruder Operator, Extrusion Machine Operator, Extrusion Operator, Extrusion Press Operator, Machine Operator, Metal Inspector, Setup Operator, Wire Mill Operator, Wire Mill Rover

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is projected to Decline 8 percent from 2020 to 2030

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • -8.2%

    Change

    Ranks #52 in job growth rate
    440

    Job Openings

    Ranks #2 in net job growth

Best colleges for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (2%)
  • Associate's degree  (9%)
  • Some college, no degree  (23%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (49%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (14%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Select Type of Degree:

★ There are no majors that have graduates with this degree type

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products.
  • Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Determine production equipment settings.
  • Select production equipment according to product specifications.
  • Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
  • Operate metal or plastic forming equipment.
  • Package products for storage or shipment.
  • Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
  • Clean work areas.
  • Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
  • Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
  • Load materials into production equipment.
  • Diagnose equipment malfunctions.
  • Maintain production or processing equipment.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
  • Replace worn equipment components.
  • Operate cutting equipment.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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