Also called: Thermoformer, Vacuum Forming Operator
Heats plastic sheets and vacuums them over molds to make food trays, clamshell packages, cups and car parts.
A sheet of plastic warms until it sags, then the machine slams it onto a mold and sucks it tight. Out come hundreds of trays a minute. You set temperatures, swap molds, and check parts for thin spots.
Estimated from BLS molding machine operators.
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 -3% over 10 years). Molding machine setters overall.
High risk for 10 years. Thermoforming lines with in-line trimming and robotic stacking need few operators.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at packaging plants or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Shop class, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-4072.
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.