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Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

General Information

Description

Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit92.23%
  2. Private, not for profit4.13%
  3. Self-employed3.25%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Job Outlook

Overall employment of food and tobacco processing workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations. Despite limited employment growth, about 32,600 openings for food and tobacco processing workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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Job Outlook

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Overall employment of food and tobacco processing workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations. Despite limited employment growth, about 32,600 openings for food and tobacco processing workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Similar Careers

No Information for this section

Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$33,010

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$40,460
$25,420
No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 85%
  • Post-secondary certificate 13%
  • Some college 0%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Bachelor's degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%

Knowledge

  • Production and Processing
  • Food Production
  • Mechanical
  • Administration and Management
  • Education and Training

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership
No Information for this section

* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.