Description
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Self-Control
- Independence
- Cooperation
Tasks
- Attach identification labels to finished packaged items, or cut stencils and stencil information on containers, such as lot numbers or shipping destinations.
- Sort, grade, weigh, and inspect products, verifying and adjusting product weight or measurement to meet specifications.
- Stop or reset machines when malfunctions occur, clear machine jams, and report malfunctions to a supervisor.
- Observe machine operations to ensure quality and conformity of filled or packaged products to standards.
- Remove finished packaged items from machine and separate rejected items.
Work Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Getting Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Technology Skills
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Spreadsheet software
- Label making software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Abilities
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Control Precision
- Manual Dexterity
- Near Vision
- Oral Comprehension
Skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Coordination
- Operation and Control
Knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- English Language
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certified Packaging ProfessionalCertifying Organization
Institute of Packaging Professionals
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Certified Professional in TrainingCertifying Organization
Institute of Packaging Professionals
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $36,040 |
| Median (50%) | $41,326 |
| High (90%) | $50,812 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $43,058 |
| Mid Level | $50,231 |
| Senior Level | $53,818 |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 367,900 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 392,500 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 7%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 7%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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