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Food Preparation Workers

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$34220	148000	-3.4%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$34220

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

148000

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

-3.4%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Clean tableware.
Cook foods.
Assess equipment functioning.
Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
Report information to managers or other personnel.
Operate cash registers.
Process customer bills or payments.
Clean food service areas.
Arrange food for serving.
Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
Serve food or beverages.
Package food or supplies.
Measure ingredients.
Assist chefs or caterers with food or drink preparation.
Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
Remove trash.
Prepare hot or cold beverages.
Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.
Cut cooked or raw foods.
Distribute resources to patrons or employees.
Record operational or production data.
Mix ingredients.
Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.
Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
Weigh or measure ingredients.
Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
Inform supervisors when equipment is not working properly and when food and supplies are getting low, and order needed items.
Wash, peel, and cut various foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to prepare for cooking or serving.
Prepare a variety of foods, such as meats, vegetables, or desserts, according to customers' orders or supervisors' instructions, following approved procedures.
Assemble meal trays with foods in accordance with patients' diets.
Stock cupboards and refrigerators, and tend salad bars and buffet meals.
Use manual or electric appliances to clean, peel, slice, and trim foods.
Load dishes, glasses, and tableware into dishwashing machines.
Portion and wrap food, or place it directly on plates for service to patrons.
Add cutlery, napkins, food, and other items to trays on assembly lines in hospitals, cafeterias, airline kitchens, and similar establishments.
Place food trays over food warmers for immediate service, or store them in refrigerated storage cabinets.
Prepare and serve a variety of beverages, such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
Mix ingredients for green salads, molded fruit salads, vegetable salads, and pasta salads.
Receive and store food supplies, equipment, and utensils in refrigerators, cupboards, and other storage areas.
Stir and strain soups and sauces.
Make special dressings and sauces as condiments for sandwiches.
Scrape leftovers from dishes into garbage containers.
Distribute food to waiters and waitresses to serve to customers.
Operate cash register, handle money, and give correct change.
Distribute menus to hospital patients, collect diet sheets, and deliver food trays and snacks to nursing units or directly to patients.
Package take-out foods or serve food to customers.
Cut, slice or grind meat, poultry, and seafood to prepare for cooking.
Butcher and clean fowl, fish, poultry, and shellfish to prepare for cooking or serving.
Keep records of the quantities of food used.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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