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Advanced Manufacturing

Additional Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend one or more machines that create a variety of parts or products.

Annual openings

195

Median wage

$48,200

Typical education

High school (GED)

Growth 2026–2032

0%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

High school (GED)

Credential requirement

A National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) Level I Certification, Production Technician Certificate, or Operator's Certificate is valued.

Work experience

This is an entry-level role so no experience is required. However, any previous experience working with large machines, engines or on a production floor, or knowledge of basic mechanical principles is valued.

Employer competency information

  • Feedback from employers identifies the following competencies as being critical to success: mechanical aptitude, attention to detail (including the ability to build something to specifications and tolerance), diagnosing and problem solving, basic computer skills, teamwork, a focus on safety, and accountability.
Do you have steady hands and learn quickly? Are you interested in machines and moving parts? Becoming a machine operator is a great way to start out in the manufacturing industry, working in the middle of all the action on the production floor. It’s an exciting job with a lot of opportunity for advancement.
Machine operators work as part of the assembly line in a production facility. Your position will put you in charge of a basic, manually-controlled manufacturing machine. You’ll start, stop, and monitor the machine’s operation, making sure there are no defects or issues in the product it makes. You might need to make small adjustments to your machine, or perform minor repairs if it malfunctions. Depending on the size of your company and the manufacturing system, you may be assigned to one specific machine, or to several.
Participation in a robotics league/competition is a good way to learn about working with and programming machines.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenNo
  • On a computerNo
  • OutdoorsMay vary
  • With your handsYes

Interests it draws on

  • Manufacturing

Automation exposure

High exposure

Many tasks are repeatable, so technology could reshape the day-to-day over time.

A typical day

  1. Read specifications, blueprints, and work orders to determine setups, temperatures, and time settings required to mold, form, or cast plastic materials, as well as to plan production sequences.
  2. Measure and visually inspect products for surface and dimension defects to ensure conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
  3. Observe continuous operation of automatic machines to ensure that products meet specifications and to detect jams or malfunctions, making adjustments as necessary.
  4. Smooth and clean inner surfaces of molds, using brushes, scrapers, air hoses, or grinding wheels, and fill imperfections with refractory material.
  5. Observe meters and gauges to verify and record temperatures, pressures, and press-cycle times.
  6. Connect water hoses to cooling systems of dies, using hand tools.
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