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Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)	Projected Growth (2024-2034)
National Statistics	$49390	8100	-6.3%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$49390

Median Wage (USD, 2024)

8100

Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)

-6.3%

Projected Growth (2024-2034)

Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.

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: Up to and including 1 month

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Inspect finished products to locate flaws.
Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment.
Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.
Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.
Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
Load materials into production equipment.
Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
Stack finished items for further processing or shipment.
Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.

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

Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.
Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.
Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.
Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.
Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.
Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters.
Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.
Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming.
Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.
Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.
Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard.
Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.
Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.
Lift tote boxes of finished cartons, and dump cartons into feed hoppers.

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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