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  5. Food Processing Machine Operators

Exploring Trades and Occupations

Food Processing Machine Operators

On this page

  • Job description
  • Advancement and mobility
  • Hourly wage
  • Job prospects for 2021-2025
  • Sectors of activity
  • Training and requirements
  • Main skills and characteristics
  • Personality profiles (RIASEC)
  • Additional information

Job description

These individuals operate machines in the food processing industry. They work for:

  • Dairy Product Manufacturers
  • Fruit and vegetable canning plants
  • Meat packing plants
  • Leaf tobacco product mills
  • Bakeries and Pastry Shops
  • Breweries
  • Mills
  • Sugar refineries

Environment

  • Controlled ambient temperature
  • Equipment, machinery, tools
  • Odours
  • Nontoxic dust
  • Noise
  • Fire, steam, hot surfaces

Main tasks

  • Operate machines that process and package food products.
  • Check processing conditions.
  • Make various adjustments (cooking times, flow rates, temperatures, etc.).
  • Install, adjust, and unlock machines.
  • Check products to ensure compliance with current standards.
  • Keep production records.
  • Clean machines and immediate work areas.

Advancement and mobility

  • Experience leads to senior or supervisory positions.
  • There is some mobility among operators working in the industry.

Hourly wage

The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2019 to 2021.
Minimum
$15.00
Median
$21.00
Maximum
$30.00

Job prospects for 2021-2025

sr.comparaison-region.titre

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 2021-2025

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 2020

All of Québec

11,000

All of Québec

na

Gender distribution

All of Québec

Not available.
28.5% Female
71.5% Male

Not available.
  • 28.5% Female
  • 71.5% Male

Job types

All of Québec

Not available.
Full time
Part time

Not available.
  • Full time
  • Part time

Yearly wage on 2015

All of Québec

$44,000

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. Food, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
    NAICS 311, 312
    80% of jobs
  2. Wholesale Trade
    NAICS 41
    7% of jobs
  3. Retail Trade
    NAICS 44, 45
    3% of jobs
  4. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    2% of jobs
  5. Accommodation and Food Services
    NAICS 72
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    6% of jobs

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Food, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
    NAICS 311, 312
    80% of jobs
  2. Wholesale Trade
    NAICS 41
    7% of jobs
  3. Retail Trade
    NAICS 44, 45
    3% of jobs
  4. Agriculture and Fishing
    NAICS 111, 112, 114, 1151, 1152
    2% of jobs
  5. Accommodation and Food Services
    NAICS 72
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    6% of jobs

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

Secondary

DVS in opération d'équipements de production This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Code : 5362

Placement rate: 80.4%

13.3% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation
DVS in production Equipment Operation This hyperlink will open in a new window.
Code : 5862

Placement rate: 41.4%

58.6% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation

Sometimes required

  • Forklift Operator competency card may be required.
  • Experience as a Labourer or Machine Operator in the processing of food, beverage, and related products usually required.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

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

Abilities

  • Information organization
  • Near vision
  • Oral comprehension
  • Awareness of issues
  • Written comprehension
  • Manual dexterity
  • Control accuracy
  • Hand-arm stability
  • Selective attention
  • Speech clarity
  • Classification
  • Digital dexterity
  • Verbal skills
  • Deductive reasoning
  • Perception speed
  • Speech recognition
More Less abilities

Knowledge and attributes

  • Autonomy
  • Capacity to work in a team
  • Knowledge of production and treatment
  • Sense of initiative
  • Tolerance to stress
  • Respect standards and regulations
  • Knowledge of public safety and security
  • Availability
  • Knowledge of plant and animal production
  • Timeliness

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.
Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Investigative
People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Additional information

Note about CNP

Occupational information is provided based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016. The 5-digit code of the NOC 2021 is shown in parentheses for information purposes only for occupations that correspond to those of NOC 2016.

Official name of the NOC 9461 (94140)

Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing

Job titles

  • Brewer helper - food and beverage processing
  • Packaging machine adjuster
  • Spinner - food and beverage processing
  • Meat moulder - food and beverage processing
  • Dry starch maker helper
  • Assistant miller - food and beverage processing
  • Flavourer - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco flavourer
  • Brewer
  • Miller - food and beverage processing
  • Coffee grinder
  • Cocoa-nib grinder
  • Grain miller
  • Vegetable grinder - food and beverage processing
  • Spice miller
  • Bone crusher - food and beverage processing
  • Booker - tobacco processing
  • Winery cellarwoman - food and beverage processing
  • Cigar maker
  • Machine cigar maker
  • Turret machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Hand cigar maker
  • Candy-spinning machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Press operator - tobacco processing
  • Cigarette maker
  • Frozen stick novelty maker - food and beverage processing
  • Flavour maker - tobacco processing
  • Candy maker
  • Candy centre maker
  • Yeast cutter
  • Retort battery cook - food and beverage processing
  • Offal cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Pet food cook - food and beverage processing
  • Distillery cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Cereal baker - food and beverage processing
  • Confectionery cooker
  • Canned goods cooker
  • Corn chips cooker
  • Cheese cooker
  • Process cheese cooker
  • Fruit cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Pie filling cooker
  • Grain cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Corn cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Tobacco casing fluid cooker - tobacco processing
  • Sugar boiler
  • Tripe cooker - food and beverage processing
  • Meat cook - food and beverage processing
  • Ice cream decorator - food and beverage processing
  • Germ separator - food and beverage processing
  • Chocolate temperer
  • Brewery stillman - beverage processing
  • Distilled liquors stillman/woman - food and beverage processing
  • Stem cutter - tobacco processing
  • Distillery skimmer
  • Beer carton packer
  • Cigarette stamper
  • Candy puller and roller
  • Citrus juice extractor
  • Linseed oil extractor
  • Vegetable oil extractor
  • Solvent process vegetable oil extractor
  • Starch maker - food and beverage processing
  • Dry starch maker
  • Peanut butter maker
  • Puffed cereal maker
  • Cone maker - food and beverage processing
  • Ice cream maker
  • Ice cream novelty maker
  • Popcorn candy maker
  • Pasta maker - food and beverage processing
  • Sausage maker
  • Precooked sausage maker
  • Lollipop maker
  • Machine pie maker
  • Pie dough roller
  • Sliced cheese maker
  • Marshmallow maker
  • Lump maker - tobacco processing
  • Marzipan maker
  • Dough maker - food and beverage processing
  • Plug maker - tobacco processing
  • Machine plug moulder - tobacco processing
  • Tart maker - food and beverage processing
  • Cocoa butter filterer
  • Lard renderer - food and beverage processing
  • Fry cook - food and beverage processing
  • Cheese maker
  • Spice fumigator - food and beverage processing
  • Grain roaster
  • Meat mincer - packaging
  • Meat grinder - food and beverage processing
  • Snuff can inspector
  • Stem roller - tobacco processing
  • Starch washer - food and beverage processing
  • Maltster - food and beverage processing
  • Feed mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Wet process miller - food and beverage processing
  • Feed miller - food and beverage processing
  • Custom feed miller - food and beverage processing
  • Oats miller
  • Grain sample miller
  • Merchant miller - food and beverage processing
  • Flour miller
  • Chocolate machine moulder
  • Hand cigar moulder
  • Cereal cleaner
  • Grain cleaner-dryer - food and beverage processing
  • Fermenter operator
  • Control room operator - food and beverage processing
  • Yeast room operator
  • Pressure cooker operator - food and beverage processing
  • Bleacher operator - food and beverage processing
  • Process control operator - food and beverage processing
  • Fermentation process operator - food and beverage processing
  • Still operator - brewery
  • Instant powdered foods equipment operator
  • Food-colouring equipment operator
  • Jam processor operator
  • Cake mix equipment operator - food and beverage processing
  • Cereal-cleaning equipment operator
  • Liquid sugar operator
  • Caramel equipment operator
  • Carbonation equipment operator - food and beverage processing
  • Nut-roasting equipment operator
  • Dry starch operator - food and beverage processing
  • Mash operator - food and beverage processing
  • Process operator - food and beverage processing
  • Milk-processing equipment operator - food and beverage processing
  • Honey-processing equipment operator
  • Hydrogenation operator - food and beverage processing
  • Bolter operator - food and beverage processing
  • Cocoa mill operator
  • Chicle centrifuge operator - food and beverage processing
  • Syrup kettle operator
  • Cigarette maker operator
  • Filter rod machine operator - tobacco products
  • Freezer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Corn products sugar crystallizer operator
  • Cook tank operator - food and beverage processing
  • Cereal cooker and extruder operator
  • Coating pan operator - food and beverage processing
  • Crusher operator - tobacco processing
  • Germ separator operator - food and beverage processing
  • Powdered milk dryer operator
  • Diffuser operator - food and beverage processing
  • Beer filter operator
  • Corn sugar filter operator
  • Gelatin evaporator filter operator
  • Tankhouse operator - food and beverage processing
  • Reel oven operator - food and beverage processing
  • Conveyor oven operator - food and beverage processing
  • Steam oven operator - food and beverage processing
  • Fryer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Smokehouse operator - food and beverage processing
  • Icing machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Strip-cutting and blending operator - tobacco processing
  • Plug-cutting machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Stem-flattening machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Cracker and cookie machine operator
  • Casing machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Beverage-canning machine operator
  • Potato chip machine operator
  • Shredder operator - tobacco processing
  • Stripping machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Packaging machine operator - food processing
  • Bulk-sausage-stuffing machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Box machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Pie-making machine operator
  • High-speed machine operator - tobacco products
  • Granulating machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Gum-sheeting and scoring machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Tobacco-blending machine operator
  • Snuff-blending machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Cleaning and classifying operator - tobacco processing
  • Grain-cleaning machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Shredding machine operator - food processing
  • Can-filling machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Candy-rolling machine operator
  • Casing machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Sterilizer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Slicing machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Bread-slicing machine operator
  • Canning machine operator
  • Bakery machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Dairy plant machine operator
  • Flour mill machine operator
  • Grain-processing machine operator
  • Tobacco-processing machine operator
  • Sugar-processing machine operator
  • Fruit and vegetable machine operator
  • Malthouse operator - food and beverage processing
  • Steam kettle operator - food and beverage processing
  • Blender operator - food and beverage processing
  • Flour blender operator - food and beverage processing
  • Nut mixer operator
  • Brine mixer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Dressing mixer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Dry foods mixer operator
  • Distillery grinder operator
  • Soya mill operator
  • Moulding machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Grist mill operator - food and beverage processing
  • Buhr mill operator - food and beverage processing
  • Enrobing machine operator - food and beverage processing
  • Packer operator - tobacco products
  • Pasteurizer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Puff gun operator - food and beverage processing
  • Applesauce processor operator
  • Press operator - food and beverage processing
  • Macaroni press operator
  • Distillery press operator
  • Winery-press operator
  • Redrying machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Brewhouse operator
  • Drying machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Dryer and cooler operator - tobacco processing
  • Dryer operator - food processing
  • Separator operator - food processing
  • Starch separator operator
  • Steam table operator - food and beverage processing
  • Tempering bin operator - food and beverage processing
  • Stemming machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Pouch line operator - food processing
  • Bottling machine operator
  • High-speed packer operator - tobacco products
  • Cereal-coating operator
  • Tobacco-dressing machine operator - tobacco processing
  • Purifier operator - food and beverage processing
  • Evaporator operator - food processing
  • Instant coffee extractor operator
  • Homogenizer operator - food and beverage processing
  • Corn sugar refinery operator
  • Carbonator - food and beverage processing
  • Brewery kettle tender - food and beverage processing
  • Margarine clarifier - food and beverage processing
  • Tobacco conditioner tender
  • Fruit preserver - food and beverage processing
  • Candy-cutting machine tender
  • Curing bin tender - food and beverage processing
  • Cocoa bean-shelling machine tender
  • Grain dehydrator - food and beverage processing
  • Milk dryer - food and beverage processing
  • Chocolate chips maker
  • Yeast maker
  • Distillery yeast maker - food and beverage processing
  • Bologna maker
  • Fermenter - tobacco processing
  • Wine fermenter - food and beverage processing
  • Freeze-dry food processor
  • Blanching machine tender
  • Peanut-blanching machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Cigarette filter machine tender
  • Cigarette machine tender
  • Crushing machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Conche machine tender
  • Tobacco-cutting machine tender
  • Screening machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Sausage-peeling machine tender
  • Dividing machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Stripping machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco packaging machine tender
  • Candy-making machine tender
  • Filter cigarette machine tender
  • Cube sugar machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Chewing-gum machine tender
  • Chub sausage machine tender
  • Corn dough machine tender
  • Cooler tender - tobacco processing
  • Sanding machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Slicing machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Meat canner
  • Beer pasteurizer
  • Milk pasteurizer - food and beverage processing
  • Wine pasteurizer
  • Dough-kneading machine tender
  • Dry starch worker - food and beverage processing
  • Starch press tender
  • Beet pulp press tender
  • Feed mill production worker
  • Cigar patcher
  • Roller room equipment tender - food and beverage processing
  • Separator-pasteurizer - food processing
  • Canned milk sterilizer
  • Food-flavouring equipment tender
  • Winterizer tender - food and beverage processing
  • Vegetable canner - food and beverage processing
  • Tipping machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Votator heat exchanger tender - food and beverage processing
  • Tobacco stripper - tobacco processing
  • Yeast emulsifier tender - food and beverage processing
  • Chocolate coater - food and beverage processing
  • Pulper tender - food and beverage processing
  • Clarifying equipment tender - food and beverage processing
  • Gelatin extractor tender
  • Tomato juice extractor
  • Tallow extractor tender - food processing
  • Rice miller
  • Breaker tank attendant - food and beverage processing
  • Roller mill tender - food and beverage processing
  • Hammer mill tender - food and beverage processing
  • Icing sugar mill tender
  • Oil clarifier tender - food and beverage processing
  • Starch converter
  • Conveyor tender - tobacco processing
  • Crystallizer tender - food and beverage processing
  • Char filter tender - food and beverage processing
  • Melter tender - food and beverage processing
  • Cereal oven tender
  • Char kiln tender - food and beverage processing
  • Pantry worker - food and beverage processing
  • Cone and wafer machine tender
  • Granulator tender - food and beverage processing
  • Tobacco cutter - tobacco processing
  • Meat chopper - food and beverage processing
  • Strip-cutting machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Stem-flattening machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Mingler tender
  • Feed batch mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Fruit mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Pie filling mixer
  • Gelatin powder mixer
  • Frosting mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Grain mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Margarine blender
  • Molasses mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Batter and dough mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Sponge and dough mixer - food and beverage processing
  • Liquor blender - food and beverage processing
  • Soft drink powder mixer
  • Meat mixer
  • Dressing and sauce mixer
  • Coffee blender
  • Cheese blender - food and beverage processing
  • Spice mixer
  • Food-mixing machine tender
  • Gelatin-blending machine tender
  • Turnip waxer - food and beverage processing
  • Liquor gallery tender - food and beverage processing
  • Centrifugal station tender - food and beverage processing
  • Fruit press tender - food and beverage processing
  • Corn syrup cooler and decolourizer
  • Cooling machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • Weigh tank tender - food and beverage processing
  • Steam dryer - food and beverage processing
  • Yeast dryer
  • Mash dryer - food and beverage processing
  • Instant coffee dryer
  • Snuff dryer - tobacco processing
  • Sausage dryer and smoker
  • Malt dryer tender - food and beverage processing
  • Vegetable dryer tender - food and beverage processing
  • Drying drum tender - food and beverage processing
  • Grain meal processor - food and beverage processing
  • Candied fruit processor
  • Maraschino cherry processor - food and beverage processing
  • Molasses wort processor
  • Retort tender - food and beverage processing
  • Brine tank separator tender
  • Flumer - food and beverage processing
  • Flaking roll tender - food and beverage processing
  • Brewery worker
  • Cider plant worker
  • Lye peel tender - food and beverage processing
  • Rice mill worker
  • Pretzel baker - food and beverage processing
  • Ingredients scaler and dispenser - food and beverage processing
  • Brewery pumpwoman
  • Edible oil pumper - food and beverage processing
  • Cigarette tipper
  • Cigarette cork tipper
  • Cigar buncher
  • Custom feed preparer - food and beverage processing
  • Butter maker
  • Gelatin stock maker
  • Brown sugar maker
  • Cereal maker - food and beverage processing
  • Cider maker
  • Dextrine maker - food and beverage processing
  • Cream cheese maker
  • Cottage cheese maker
  • Corn germ preparer - food and beverage processing
  • Icing maker - food and beverage processing
  • Ketchup maker
  • Margarine processor
  • Mincemeat maker
  • Wort maker - food and beverage processing
  • Dairy products specialty maker
  • Relish maker - food and beverage processing
  • Corn syrup maker
  • Syrup maker
  • Confection syrup maker
  • Salad dressing finisher
  • Yogurt maker
  • Flavour maker - food and beverage processing
  • Extract maker - food and beverage processing
  • Kettleman/woman - food processing
  • Granulator - tobacco processing
  • Casing machine tender - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco leaf grinder
  • Snuff grinder - tobacco processing
  • Machine stripper - tobacco processing
  • Encapsulator - cannabis processing
  • Tobacco shredder
  • Frozen-dough-baking machine tender
  • Bake-off equipment tender - food and beverage processing
  • Mixer - tobacco processing
  • Bulker blender - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco leaf blender
  • Bulk blender - tobacco processing
  • Flavouring mixer - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco casing fluid blender
  • Tobacco blender
  • Tobacco blending line attendant
  • Cascade blender - tobacco processing
  • Redryer tender - tobacco processing
  • Cigar dryer
  • Tobacco dryer - tobacco processing
  • Dryer tender - tobacco processing
  • Steamer - tobacco processing
  • Cigar filler mixer and shredder
  • Module tender - tobacco processing
  • Locker plant attendant - food and beverage processing
  • Presser - food and beverage processing
  • Corn products starch presser
  • Distillery presser
  • Fruit presser
  • Corn products pressman - food and beverage processing
  • Console operator - food and beverage processing
  • Flour purifier
  • Chocolate refiner
  • Tallow refiner
  • Edible oil refiner - food and beverage processing
  • Grated cheese maker
  • Tobacco leaf cutter
  • Distilled liquors rectifier - food and beverage processing
  • Wort cooler - food and beverage processing
  • Filling machine set-up man/woman - food and beverage processing
  • Bagging machine set-up woman - food and beverage processing
  • Packing machine set-up operator
  • Pressurized container filler - food and beverage processing
  • Hand cigar roller
  • Cigarette roller
  • Corn flakes roller - food and beverage processing
  • Lump roller - tobacco processing
  • Tobacco roller
  • Bacon curer
  • Ham curer
  • Meat salter
  • Pickling solution injector - food and beverage processing
  • Picklewoman - food and beverage processing
  • Meat pickler
  • Yeast separator - food and beverage processing
  • Process cheese formulator
  • Tobacco leaf twister
  • Coffee roaster
  • Cocoa bean roaster
  • Malt roaster - food and beverage processing
  • Malt house kiln operator - food and beverage processing
  • Food slicer - food and beverage processing
  • Steepman/woman - food and beverage processing
  • Vinegar maker
  • Winemaker - food and beverage processing
More Less job titles

Skill type

Manufacturing and utilities

Related occupations

  • Bakers
  • Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale
  • Fish and seafood plant workers
  • Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
  • Labourers in fish and seafood processing
  • Labourers in food and beverage processing
  • Supervisors, food and beverage processing
  • Testers and graders, food and beverage processing

See also

  • Glossary (PDF 229 Kb)
  • Québec emploi This hyperlink will open in a new window.

See also

Non traditional

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Last update: December 22, 2022

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