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  6. Machining Tool Operators

Exploring Trades and Occupations

Machining Tool Operators

On this page

  • Job description
  • Advancement and mobility
  • Hourly wage
  • Job prospects for 2024-2028
  • Sectors of activity
  • Training and requirements
  • Main skills and characteristics
  • Personality profiles (RIASEC)
  • Additional information

Job description

These individuals adjust, operate, or monitor metal cutting machines. This group includes personnel who engrave and mould metal parts. They are employed by metal fabricating companies and parts machining shops.

Environment

  • Controlled ambient temperature
  • Equipment, machinery, tools
  • Hazardous chemical
  • Odours
  • Hazardous workplaces
  • Noise
  • Falling objects
  • Vibration

Main tasks

  • Read worksheets and interpret drawings to determine the machining operations to be performed.
  • Set up and operate machines to perform repeated machining operations.
  • Check the dimensions of the machined parts.
  • Perform routine maintenance on machinery and equipment.
  • Enter information into numerically controlled machining machines.

Advancement and mobility

  • Experience as a Machine Operator leads to positions as team leader for other operators.

Hourly wage

The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.
Minimum
$18.25
Median
$25.00
Maximum
$32.06

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Job prospects

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Very good

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available

Total jobs for 2023

All of Québec

2,500

All of Québec

na

Gender distribution

All of Québec

Not available.
10.8% Female
89.2% Male

Not available.
  • 10.8% Female
  • 89.2% Male

Job types

All of Québec

Not available.
Full time
Part time

Not available.
  • Full time
  • Part time

Yearly wage on 2020

All of Québec

$50,000

All of Québec

Other characteristics

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

Sectors of activity

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
    NAICS 332
    28% of jobs
  2. Primary Metal Manufacturing
    NAICS 331
    13% of jobs
  3. Machinery Manufacturing
    NAICS 333
    7% of jobs
  4. Miscellaneous Manufacturing
    NAICS 339
    6% of jobs
  5. Aerospace Products and Parts
    NAICS 3364
    5% of jobs
  6. Others
    41% of jobs

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
    NAICS 332
    28% of jobs
  2. Primary Metal Manufacturing
    NAICS 331
    13% of jobs
  3. Machinery Manufacturing
    NAICS 333
    7% of jobs
  4. Miscellaneous Manufacturing
    NAICS 339
    6% of jobs
  5. Aerospace Products and Parts
    NAICS 3364
    5% of jobs
  6. Others
    41% of jobs

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

Secondary

DVS in machining
Code : 5871

Placement rate: 60.6%

25.8% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
AVS in numerical Control Machine Tool Operation
Code : 5724
More on graduates’ employment situation
DVS in usinage
Code : 5371

Placement rate: 69%

21.6% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
AVS in usinage sur machines-outils à commande numérique
Code : 5224

Placement rate: 88.1%

9.8% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation

Sometimes required

  • Training on the use of machine tools is sometimes required.

WAP

This occupation is targeted by Workplace Apprenticeship Programs

  • Computer controlled machinist
  • Patternmaker

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

  • Data collection
  • Monitoring operations
  • Result evaluation
  • Operations and control
  • Active listening
  • Reading comprehension
  • Oral expression
  • Critical thought
More Less skills

Abilities

  • Manual dexterity
  • Near vision
  • Hand-arm stability
  • Selective attention
  • Oral comprehension
  • Digital dexterity
  • Verbal skills
  • Control accuracy
  • Awareness of issues
  • Reaction time
  • Information organization
  • Written comprehension
  • Limb coordination
  • Core strength
  • Speech recognition
  • Visualization
More Less abilities

Knowledge and attributes

  • Critical thinking
  • Focussed on results
  • Autonomy
  • Capacity to work in a team
  • Knowledge of production and treatment
  • Versatility
  • Rigour
  • Respect standards and regulations
  • Assiduity and punctuality
  • Sense of observation

Interests

  • Make, build, install
  • Work manually

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Realistic
People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Investigative
People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Additional information

Official name of the NOC 94106

Machining tool operators

Job titles

  • Machine operator - metal machining
  • Numerically controlled (nc) machine operator - metal machining
  • Machining tool operator
  • Numerical control (nc) machining tool operator
  • Machining equipment set-up operator
  • Firearms etcher
  • Cutlery and tool etcher
  • Aircraft parts etcher
  • Electrolytic etcher - metal machining
  • Tool grinder - metal machining
  • Hand tool filer - metal machining
  • Metal saw tooth grinder
  • Connecting rod borer
  • Barrel rifler
  • Bearing borer
  • Main bearing borer - metal machining
  • Name plate stamper
  • File maker - metal machining
  • Printing-roller finisher
  • Countersinker - metal machining
  • Machine router - metal machining
  • Boring machine operator - metal machining
  • Vertical boring machine operator
  • Boring mill operator - metal machining
  • Vertical boring mill operator - metal machining
  • Multi-function metal-cutting tool operator
  • Broaching machine operator - metal machining
  • Computer numerically controlled (cnc) machining centre operator
  • Vertical machining centre operator
  • Screw machine operator - metal machining
  • Automatic screw machine operator
  • Custom screw machine operator
  • Multiple-spindle screw machine operator
  • Threading machine operator
  • Pipe-threading machine operator
  • Milling machine operator - metal machining
  • Profile milling machine operator - metal machining
  • Gear-milling machine operator
  • Vertical milling machine operator - metal machining
  • Camming machine operator - metal machining
  • Bolt-threading machine operator
  • Gear-rolling machine operator
  • Drilling machine operator - metal machining
  • Profiling machine operator - metal machining
  • Computer numerical control (cnc) profile mill operator
  • Gear-shaper operator
  • Thread-grinder operator
  • Lapping machine operator
  • Honing machine operator - metal machining
  • Precision honing machine operator - metal machining
  • Spiral gear-generator operator
  • Numerical control/computer numerical control (nc/cnc) machining tool operator
  • Computer numerical control (cnc) machining tool operator
  • Electrical discharge machine (edm) operator
  • Electrochemical machining tool operator
  • Production metal grinder operator
  • Machine tool operator - metal machining
  • Numerically controlled (nc) machine tool operator
  • Production machine tool operator
  • Automatic transfer machine operator - metal machining
  • Router operator - metal machining
  • Drill press operator - metal machining
  • Multiple-spindle drill press operator - metal machining
  • Numerical control (nc) drilling machine operator - metal machining
  • Radial drill operator - metal machining
  • Pedestal drill operator - metal machining
  • Drilling and milling machine operator - metal machining
  • Planer operator - metal machining
  • External cylindrical-grinder operator
  • Centreless cylindrical-grinder operator
  • Tool-dresser operator
  • Precision grinder operator - metal machining
  • Production surface-grinder operator
  • Gear-lapping machine operator
  • Metal band saw operator
  • Lathe operator - metal machining
  • Computer numerical control (cnc) lathe operator - metal machining
  • Axle lathe operator
  • Turret lathe operator - metal machining
  • Bullard multiple-spindle lathe operator
  • Lathe machining operator
  • Precision lathe operator - metal machining
  • Brake drum lathe operator
  • Heavy chucking lathe operator - metal machining
  • Numerically controlled (nc) tracer operator - metal machining
  • Lathe hand - metal machining
  • Impressing machine tender - metal machining
  • Electrical discharge machine (edm) tender
  • Transfer machine tender - metal machining
  • Thread cutter - metal machining
  • Small arms barrel threader
  • Screw threader
  • Tool lapper - metal machining
  • Cylinder honer - metal machining
  • Precision lapper - metal machining
  • Hand lapper - metal machining
  • Printing-roller polisher
  • Gear grinder
  • Cylinder grinder - metal machining
  • Motor vehicle cylinder grinder
  • Printing-roller grinder
  • Bearing grinder
  • General machine tool set-up operator
  • Set-up operator - metal machining
  • Horizontal boring and milling machine set-up operator
  • Multiple-spindle vertical boring mill set-up operator
  • Shaper set-up operator
  • Milling machine set-up operator
  • Vertical-spindle milling machine operator - metal machining
  • Pantograph milling machine set-up operator
  • Rotary-head milling machine set-up operator
  • Thread-milling machine set-up operator
  • Diesinking machine set-up operator
  • Chucking machine set-up operator - metal machining
  • Thread grinder set-up operator
  • Gear-cutting machine set-up operator
  • Spiral bevel-gear cutting machine set-up operator
  • Straight bevel-gear cutting machine set-up operator
  • Gear-hob-milling machine set-up operator
  • Automated machine tool set-up operator
  • Bench machine tool set-up operator
  • Aircraft engine parts machine tool set-up operator
  • Machine tool set-up operator
  • Single-spindle drill press set-up operator - metal machining
  • Grooving machine set-up operator - metal machining
  • Surface grinder set-up operator
  • Jig grinder set-up operator
  • Centreless grinder set-up operator - metal machining
  • Universal grinder set-up operator
  • Engine lathe set-up operator
  • Multiple-spindle vertical turret lathe set-up operator
  • Milling machine setter
  • Machine tool setter
  • Machine-tool setter - metal machining
  • Gear cutter
  • File cutter - metal machining
  • Machine shop layer-out
  • Machine shop layout marker
More Less job titles

Skill type

Manufacturing and utilities

Related occupations

  • Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
  • Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
  • Tool and die makers

See also

  • Glossary (PDF 229 Kb)
  • Québec emploi

See also

Non traditional

Hats Off to You!

Last update: January 29, 2026

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