Career: Machinists
You might think a machinist is someone who runs machinery. But without machinists, there would be no machines to run.
Working with lathes, grinders, drill presses, and other tools, machinists create metal parts for industrial machinery. Factory workers use these machines to make all sorts of products. Machinists also make parts for cars and planes. And they often work with computer-numerically controlled (CNC) machines, working closely with CNC programmers.
Machinists create the metal parts used in industrial machinery.
Did You Know?
- The invention of the steam engine sparked the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s.
Are You Ready To...?
- Master metal
- Work with lathes, grinders, and other tools
- Work from blueprints
- Write reports and keep records
- Spend long hours on your feet
- Work independently
It Helps to Be...
Someone who loves to solve problems and work with tools. Being accurate, especially in math, is also important, and you’ll need to be able to concentrate for long periods of time, too.
Make High School Count
- Take metal shop, of course, to learn about different metals and how they behave.
- Work on your basic math skills. As a machinist, you’ll need to make extremely precise measurements.
- Get to know computers. You’ll be ready when it’s time to learn how to program CNC machines.
Did You Know?
- The dirty, noisy machine shop is becoming a thing of the past. Most shops are now clean and fairly quiet. But safety is still a concern, so get ready to put on those protective goggles.
Outlook
According to government economists, jobs for machinists should grow more slowly than the average, compared to jobs in other careers, through 2014. But the job outlook is still bright, because the field doesn’t attract enough qualified people to fill job openings.
Compensation
Machinists earned an estimated average yearly salary of $35,810 in 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Geography has a lot to do with wages, and some industries pay better than others. For example, machinists who work on planes usually command higher salaries than those in auto manufacturing.
