Also called: Molding Process Tech, Plastics Technician
Sets up and fine-tunes the presses that squirt melted plastic into molds to make parts.
You hang a 2-ton mold in a press with an overhead crane, hook up the water lines and dial in temperature, pressure and timing until the parts come out perfect. When parts start showing warps or short shots, you are the one who figures out why.
Estimated from industry postings.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. High-school diploma plus on-the-job training; certifications like RJG or Paulson help.
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, 2-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Plastics Technology, Manufacturing Technology.
Growing about average. No separate BLS projection; skilled molding techs are hard to find.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Smart presses and AI process monitoring help, but setting up molds and solving defects need skilled techs.
Classes: Chemistry, Shop class, Algebra.
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.