Production

Painting and coating workers apply finishes, often using machines, to products such as cars, jewelry, and ceramics.

Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Food processing equipment workers operate machinery that mixes, cooks, or processes ingredients for manufacturing food products.

Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale.

Quality control inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications.

Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.

Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate equipment that cuts, shapes, and forms metal and plastic materials or pieces.

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.

Assemblers and fabricators build finished products and the parts that go into them. They use handtools and machines to make vehicles, toys, electronic devices, and more.