Plastics processing machine operators
Career Overview
Plastics processing machine operators:
- Set up and operate plastic mixing, calendering, extruding and moulding processing machines used in the manufacture of plastic parts and plastic products
- Work for plastic products manufacturing companies
Job Titles
Duties
Mixing machine operators:
- Weigh resins, colorants and other chemicals according to formula
- Place weighed materials in mixing machine and operate machine to blend plastic and other chemicals to a specified consistency or thickness
- Monitor operation, regulate material supply and add chemicals and colorants to mixture
- Operate controls to regulate temperature, speed and other processing conditions
- Unload mixture into container or conveyor for further processing
- Maintain and do minor repairs on machinery as needed
- Maintain inventory of material
- Clean working area
Calendering process operators:
- Set up and operate calender machines which transform plastic bales or slabs into continuous plastic sheets or films of specified thickness
- Troubleshoot, maintain and make minor repairs to equipment and adjust calender rollers for production line change
- Monitor quality of material produced
- Maintain inventory of material and clean working area
Extruding process operators:
- Set up and operate extruding machines which extrude plastic compound through a nozzle or die
- Change dies on extruding machines according to production line change
- Troubleshoot, maintain and make minor repairs to equipment
- Monitor quality of material produced
- Maintain inventory of material
- Clean working area
Moulding process operators:
- Set up and operate one or more moulding machines which mould plastic products according to specifications
- Change moulds and adjust equipment for production line change
- Troubleshoot, maintain and make minor repairs to equipment
- Monitor quality of material produced and adjust machine settings as required
- Follow formulation card to mix resin batches for injection moulding process
- Maintain inventory of material, and clean working area
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
620% Employed Full Time
65%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a regular controlled indoor environment
- Work also takes place in an indoor setting where temperatures or humidity may vary greatly in some working areas
- The workplace may contain hazardous chemicals
- Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- Workers may be exposed to fire, steam or hot surfaces that can cause injury
- The workplace may contain strong or toxic odours
- Noise in the workplace may cause distraction or hearing loss
Career Pathways
Movement among the various operators in this unit is possible.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- For all operators in this unit group, completion of secondary school is usually required
- Several years of experience as a helper, tender or packer in the same company may be required
- Completion of a statistical process control (SPC) course may be required
- Completion of courses in hydraulics, pneumatics and electronics systems may be required for moulding process operators
- On-the-job training is provided
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
620Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 550 | 88.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 45 | 7.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 20 | 3.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
250Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 240 | 0.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 0.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | Not available | Not available |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 220 |
| Wholesale Trade | 30 |
| Retail Trade | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
