Also called: Buffer, Metal Finisher, Grinder/Polisher (Hand)
Grinds, sands and buffs metal parts by hand to a mirror shine or a smooth finish, from surgical tools to restaurant equipment.
You hold a stainless sink against a spinning buffing wheel, working through finer and finer compounds until you can see your face in it. Later you grind welds flush on a railing so no one can see the seams. Steady hands and patience pay off.
BLS grinding and polishing workers, hand.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school diploma; trained on the job.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Shrinking (about -2% over 10 years). Grinding and polishing workers, hand.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Robotic polishing and grinding cells are spreading in production; custom and medical finishing stays manual longer.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at metal finishing shops or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Shop class, Art.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9022.
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.