Occupation Profile

Lathe and Turning Machine Workers

(SOC Code : 51-4034)

in California

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.

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Moderate-term on-the-job training (1-12 months) .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$18.56	$13.68	$18.01	$22.72

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	3,400	3,200	-200	-5.9	120

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Machine Shops and Threaded Products

4,048

41.9%

Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing

281

6.8%

Other Fabricated Metal Product Mfg

932

5.8%

Electrical Equipment and Appliances

1,041

5.5%

Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing

6,864

4.6%

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing

760

4.4%

Other General Purpose Machinery Mfg

1,300

3.7%

Commercial & Service Industry Machinery

794

2.5%

Architectural and Structural Metals

1,809

1.4%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Machine Tool Technology/Machinist

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Inspect sample workpieces to verify conformance with specifications, using instruments such as gauges, micrometers, and dial indicators.

Study blueprints, layouts or charts, and job orders for information on specifications and tooling instructions, and to determine material requirements and operational sequences.

Adjust machine controls and change tool settings in order to keep dimensions within specified tolerances.

Start lath or turning machines and observe operations to ensure that specifications are met.

Move controls to set cutting speeds and depths and feed rates, and to position tools in relation to workpieces.

Select cutting tools and tooling instructions, according to written specifications or knowledge of metal properties and shop mathematics.

Crank machines through cycles, stopping to adjust tool positions and machine controls to ensure specified timing, clearances, and tolerances.

Lift metal stock or workpieces manually or using hoists, and position and secure them in machines, using fasteners and hand tools.

Replace worn tools, and sharpen dull cutting tools and dies using bench grinders or cutter-grinding machines.

Position, secure, and align cutting tools in toolholders on machines, using hand tools, and verify their positions with measuring instruments.

More Tasks for Lathe and Turning 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.

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.

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.

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

More Skills for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders Metal and Plastic

Data for Tasks not available.

More Abilities for Lathe and Turning 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 Lathe and Turning 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.

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

More Interests for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders Metal and Plastic