Also called: Forge Operator, Hammer Operator
Runs giant presses and hammers that squeeze red-hot metal into strong parts like wrenches, crankshafts and jet engine discs.
You use tongs (or a manipulator) to place a glowing steel bar into a die, then the press slams down with thousands of tons of force. The ground shakes. You flip the part, hit it again, and set the rough shape aside to cool.
BLS forging machine setters, operators and tenders; approximate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school plus on-the-job training.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Shrinking (about -4% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. Robots increasingly move hot billets; operators still run, watch and adjust presses in harsh conditions.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at forging plants or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Metals or shop class, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-4022.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.