Description
Operate production machines such as pug mill, jigger machine, or potter's wheel to process clay in manufacture of ceramic, pottery and stoneware products.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Achievement
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Independence
- Initiative
- Integrity
- Persistence
Tasks
- Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces.
- Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns.
- Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
- Adjust wheel speeds according to the feel of the clay as pieces enlarge and walls become thinner.
- Position balls of clay in centers of potters' wheels, and start motors or pump treadles with feet to revolve wheels.
Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Thinking Creatively
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Detailed Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Performing General Physical Activities - Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
- Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Inventory management software
Skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Fine Arts
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Chemistry
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
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 | Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $NaN |
| Median (50%) | $NaN |
| High (90%) | $NaN |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–7 years), to senior level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
| Entry Level | $50,000 |
| Mid Level | $100,000 |
| Senior Level | $150,000 |
Employability
There are currently 49,200 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 51,800 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 5%.
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 5%
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), with ONET® being a registered trademark of USDOL/ETA. Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA; CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED); and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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