Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.
About the profession
Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.
How to Get Started
Take a personality test to see if Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic fits your profile
Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
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Jump to Learning Path →Video
Occupation on screen: Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators (O*NET 51-9161.00). The Department of Labor publishes one film per occupation family, and this is the film it lists for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic (51-4062.00), which is how Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic is classified. Closed captions in English and Spanish. CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Personality Fit
Based on the Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Enterprising
Leading, persuading, business
Social
Helping, teaching, working with people
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
Not sure if these types match you? Take the full RIASEC assessment (4 min) to discover your personality profile and see how it aligns with hundreds of careers.
Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Junior Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic → Practitioner Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic → Senior Practitioner Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic → Lead Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
4
Levels
$77K
Top Salary
8+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-2 | Entry Level Base: $36,280 - $46,518/year With equity/bonuses: $39,908 - $55,822 Top markets (SF/NYC): $41,722 - $55,822 Execute core tasks using Operations…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Day in Life
Junior vs Senior, daily schedule breakdown
9am, Verify conformance of patterns or template dimensions to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, scales, and micrometers.
Income Dynamics
Conservative and aggressive scenarios for 10–15 years
Year 1: Entry level $25,396 - $41,866 Year 2-3: Junior level $46,518 - $53,917 Year 4-6: Mid level $53,917 - $58,458 Year 7-10: Senior level $58,458 - $70,343 Year 10+:…
Is this for me?
15 questions, answer honestly
You find the craft of a Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic genuinely interesting, not just a paycheck You enjoy working with Operations Monitoring and Operation and Control You…
💰 Salary Range
BLS OEWS, May 2023Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types