No formal educational credential

None

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. They may perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products, and gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.

No formal educational credential

None

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators use construction equipment like bulldozers and front-end loaders to dig, move, and grade earth; erect structures; or pour concrete. Among other duties, they may repair and maintain equipment.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.

No formal educational credential

None

Continuous Mining Machine Operators use self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks, in a continuous operation.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Riggers set up or repair rigging for construction projects, manufacturing plants, logging yards, ships and shipyards, or for the entertainment industry.

No formal educational credential

None

Agricultural Equipment Operators drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, and tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment, filter presses, shaker screens, centrifuges, condenser tubes, precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks, scrubbing towers, or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. This category includes dairy processing equipment operators.

High school diploma or equivalent

Less than 5 years

Crane and Tower Operators operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Rail-track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators install, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines.

High school diploma or equivalent

Less than 5 years

Surface Mining Excavating Machine, Loading Machine, and Dragline Operators handle or tend machinery at surface mining sites. They use vehicles and tools equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Set Up, Operate, or Tend Machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Synthetic and Glass Fiber Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic. This process forms bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate or flattens, tempers, or reduces gauge of material.

No formal educational credential

None

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.

No formal educational credential

None

Underground Mining Loading and Moving Machine Operators use underground loading or moving machines to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Their equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.