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Foundry Mold and Coremakers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Make or form wax or sand cores or molds used in the production of metal castings in foundries.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $48,110 Median per year · $23.13/hr Most earn $37,160–$62,640

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Clean and smooth molds, cores, and core boxes, and repair surface imperfections.
  • Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces.
  • Pour molten metal into molds, manually or with crane ladles.
  • Form and assemble slab cores around patterns, and position wire in mold sections to reinforce molds, using hand tools and glue.
  • Move and position workpieces, such as mold sections, patterns, and bottom boards, using cranes, or signal others to move workpieces.
  • Sprinkle or spray parting agents onto patterns and mold sections to facilitate removal of patterns from molds.

Job outlook

United States
23% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Foundries70.5%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing5.7%
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing4.1%
  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing3.5%
  • Plastics product manufacturing2.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and no prior work experience, and they learn the work on the job. Pay varies by location, so check the career page for local and national figures.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school, with shop, math, and science classes that build hands-on and measuring skills you will use in a foundry.

  2. Foundry Mold and Coremaker

    Entry level, learned on the job

    Start as a trainee and learn to make and form sand or wax cores and molds used for metal castings, following specs and safety rules.

Where it can lead

  1. Molding Machine Setter

    1-3 years of experience first

    Move to running and setting up the machines that make molds and cores, which takes more technical knowledge and troubleshooting.

  2. Foundry Supervisor

    3-5 years of experience first

    Lead a crew, schedule production, and check quality, which usually requires strong experience and good communication and leadership skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop or metalworking classesHands-on practice with tools and materials gives you a head start on the skills foundry work depends on.
  • Take math and physical scienceMeasuring, reading specs, and understanding how metal cools and holds shape all rely on these subjects.
  • Join a technical club or team, such as robotics or FFABuilding things with a team teaches you to follow plans, fix problems, and work safely with tools.
  • Get a starter job at a local shop, farm, or plantAny job where you follow instructions and work with your hands shows employers you are reliable and ready to learn.
  • Ask a local foundry or manufacturer about a job shadow or tourSeeing the work up close helps you decide whether it fits you and may lead to a first job.

In college

  • Take a manufacturing, materials, or metallurgy courseLearning how metals and sand or wax behave when cast gives you a stronger base for foundry work.
  • Look for a summer job or internship at a foundry or manufacturerReal factory experience helps you stand out and learn the day-to-day work before you graduate.
  • Get a welding or safety certificationShort hands-on certificates show employers you have practical, safety-minded skills.
  • Join a campus engineering, manufacturing, or trades clubWorking on team projects builds problem-solving and communication skills that help you move up.
  • Take a community college certificate in foundry or casting technology if one is nearbyA focused certificate can give you more technical knowledge than a general diploma and may speed up your first job.

Tips for getting started

  • Take shop, welding, or manufacturing classes and any math that covers measurements and geometry, since accurate measuring matters in this work.
  • Look for a part-time or summer job at a manufacturing plant or machine shop to get used to a factory floor and its safety habits.
  • Learn basic workplace safety, especially around heat, molten metal, and heavy equipment, because employers value people who work safely.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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