| Area | Year | Period | Hourly Mean | Hourly by Percentile |
| 25th | Median | 75th |
| California | 2012 | 1st Qtr | $14.14 | $10.54 | $13.08 | $16.66 |
| Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand") | [Top] |
| Area | Estimated Year-Projected Year | Employment | Employment Change | Annual Avg Openings |
| Estimated | Projected | Number | Percent |
| California | 2010 - 2020 | 8,500 | 8,400 | -100 | -1.2 | 130 |
| Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange | [Top] |
| Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List) | [Top] |
| Training Programs (click on title for more information) | [Top] |
| About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network) | [Top] |
| Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.) |
|
| Inspect or measure finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as gauges or micrometers. |
| Lift and position workpieces, manually or with hoists, and secure them in hoppers or on machine tables, faceplates, or chucks, using clamps. |
| 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 workpieces. |
| Observe machine operations to detect any problems; make necessary adjustments to correct problems. |
| Set and adjust machine controls according to product specifications, utilizing knowledge of machine operation. |
| Measure workpieces and lay out work, using precision measuring devices. |
| Select machine tooling to be used, utilizing knowledge of machine and production requirements. |
| Study blueprints, work orders, or machining instructions to determine product specifications, tool requirements, and operational sequences. |
| Mount and position tools in machine chucks, spindles, or other tool holding devices, using hand tools. |
| Activate machine start-up switches to grind, lap, hone, debar, shear, or cut workpieces, according to specifications. |
More Tasks for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Top Skills used in this Job |
|
| Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. |
| Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems. |
| Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
| Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
| 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. |
| Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it. |
More Skills for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.) |
|
| Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears. |
More Abilities for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.) |
|
| Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. |
| Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. |
More Work Values for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
| Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.) |
|
| Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others. |
| Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow. |
More Interests for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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