How to become a cutting and slicing machine setter, operators, and tenders
Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders do
- Press buttons, pull levers, or depress pedals to start and operate cutting and slicing machines.
- Feed stock into cutting machines, onto conveyors, or under cutting blades, by threading, guiding, pushing, or turning handwheels.
- Move stock or scrap to and from machines manually, or by using carts, handtrucks, or lift trucks.
- Change or replace saw blades, cables, cutter heads, and grinding wheels, using hand tools.
- Position stock along cutting lines, or against stops on beds of scoring or cutting machines.
- Mark cutting lines or identifying information on stock, using marking pencils, rulers, or scribes.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Writing
Is cutting and slicing machine setter, operators, and tenders a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 9% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.