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Occupation AtlasPaper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

O*NET · 51-9196.00

Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend paper goods machines that perform a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, corrugating, banding, wrapping, boxing, stitching, forming, or sealing paper or paperboard sheets into products.

Also called Bag Machine Operator · Bag Machine Tender · Bag Maker · Bag Presser · Bag Valver · Bender Machine Operator · Binder · Box Brander
96 more

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Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Highway Maintenance Workers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.53
  • C Conventional4.55
  • I Investigative1.72
  • E Enterprising1.45
  • A Artistic1.26
  • S Social1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma20%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent69%
  • Some College Courses9%
Related work experience
Up to and including 1 month (25%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (32%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (46%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Operation and Control3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Quality Control Analysis3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Speakingbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Time Management3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Equipment Maintenance2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Coordination2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Complex Problem Solving2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23
  • Active Learningbasic2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Troubleshooting2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Persuasion2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Analysis2.32.5Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Equipment Selection2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Repairing2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Systems Evaluation2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Negotiation2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Writingbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Instructing2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Mathematicsbasic2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Operations Analysis2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.90.9
  • Management of Financial Resources1.60.8
  • Installation1.40.6
  • Programming1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

4 core · 10 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Examine completed work to detect defects and verify conformance to work orders, and adjust machinery as necessary to correct production problems.4.7
  2. Observe operation of various machines to detect and correct machine malfunctions such as improper forming, glue flow, or pasteboard tension.4.4
  3. Start machines and move controls to regulate tension on pressure rolls, to synchronize speed of machine components, and to adjust temperatures of glue or paraffin.4.2
  4. Disassemble machines to maintain, repair, or replace broken or worn parts, using hand or power tools.4.0
Show the other 10
  1. Install attachments to machines for gluing, folding, printing, or cutting.4.4
  2. Cut products to specified dimensions, using hand or power cutters.4.4
  3. Place rolls of paper or cardboard on machine feed tracks, and thread paper through gluing, coating, and slitting rollers.4.3
  4. Monitor finished cartons as they drop from forming machines into rotating hoppers and into gravity feed chutes to prevent jamming.4.3
  5. Adjust guide assemblies, forming bars, and folding mechanisms according to specifications, using hand tools.4.2
  6. Measure, space, and set saw blades, cutters, and perforators, according to product specifications.4.1
  7. Fill glue and paraffin reservoirs, and position rollers to dispense glue onto paperboard.4.1
  8. Stamp products with information such as dates, using hand stamps or automatic stamping devices.3.9
  9. Remove finished cores, and stack or place them on conveyors for transfer to other work areas.3.9
  10. Lift tote boxes of finished cartons, and dump cartons into feed hoppers.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Production and Processing3.73.3Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Mechanical3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Mathematics3.52.6
  • Customer and Personal Service3.22.7
  • English Language3.22.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Education and Training2.72.9
  • Public Safety and Security2.72.2Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Engineering and Technology2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
Show all 33
  • Administration and Management2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Computers and Electronics2.31.4Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Design2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Transportation2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Administrative2.01.1Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Communications and Media1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Food Production1.70.5Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Sales and Marketing1.70.8Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Chemistry1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Law and Government1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Physics1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Economics and Accounting1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Psychology1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Telecommunications1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.4—
  • Building and Construction1.3—
  • Foreign Language1.3—
  • Geography1.3—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.3—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.2—
  • Biology1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision3.43.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Control Precision3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Problem Sensitivity3.32.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Finger Dexterity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Information Ordering3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Selective Attention3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
Show all 52
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Rate Control3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Auditory Attention2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Category Flexibility2.93.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Extent Flexibility2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Flexibility of Closure2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Speech Recognition2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Trunk Strength2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Multilimb Coordination2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Perceptual Speed2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Speech Clarity2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Time Sharing2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Visualization2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Written Comprehension2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Depth Perception2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.62.8
  • Static Strength2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Written Expression2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Far Vision2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Fluency of Ideas2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Dynamic Strength2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Number Facility2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Stamina2.12.1Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Memorization2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Speed of Closure2.01.9
  • Explosive Strength1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Glare Sensitivity1.90.9
  • Response Orientation1.91.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Sound Localization1.80.9
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Spatial Orientation1.60.8
  • Peripheral Vision1.50.5
  • Night Vision1.40.4
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.45.0Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.35.8
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.23.7Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.23.9Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.03.6Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Getting Information4.03.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.73.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.73.3Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.73.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.62.5Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Developing and Building Teams3.52.9
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Training and Teaching Others3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.32.5Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.32.9
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.6Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.22.9
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Processing Information3.12.9
  • Thinking Creatively3.12.9
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.02.7
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.02.3Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.92.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.81.9Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.62.6
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.51.8Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.41.9Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.41.5Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Working with Computers2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public1.80.9Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.9
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Spend Time Standing4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.5
  • Contact With Others4.4
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.4
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.3
  • Time Pressure4.3

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (7)

  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (3)
  • Objectif Lune PrintShop Mail
  • Quark enterprise publishing software
  • Virtual Systems Mail-Shop

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
  2. Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  3. Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  4. Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
  5. Machine Feeders and Offbearers
  6. Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  7. Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  8. Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
  9. Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  10. Industrial Machinery Mechanics

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.