Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Career Cluster
Manufacturing
Focuses on the processing of materials into products. In this field, you will plan, manage, and oversee material processing. This can include support activities like control and maintenance.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
What they do
Set up, operate, or tend metal or plastic molding, casting, or coremaking machines to mold or cast metal or thermoplastic parts or products.
Other titles
Core Machine Operator, Die Cast Technician, Diecast Machine Operator, Machine Operator, Mold Setter, Mold Technician, Molder, Process Technician, Production Technician
Skills they need
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.
Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend more than one type of cutting or forming machine tool or robot.
- Association for Manufacturing Technology (external link opens new tab)
- Association of Rotational Molders (external link opens new tab)
- Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (external link opens new tab)
- National Institute for Metalworking Skills (external link opens new tab)
- National Tooling and Machining Association (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Metal and plastic machine workers (external link opens new tab)
- Plastics Industry Association (external link opens new tab)
- Precision Machined Products Association (external link opens new tab)
- Precision Metalforming Association (external link opens new tab)
- United Steelworkers (external link opens new tab)