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Career

Helpers--Production Workers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

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 $39,070 Median per year · $18.78/hr Most earn $31,140–$53,410

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Start machines or equipment to begin production processes.
  • Break up defective products for reprocessing.
  • Perform minor repairs to machines, such as replacing damaged or worn parts.
  • Change machine gears, using wrenches.
  • Signal coworkers to direct them to move products during the production process.
  • Unclamp and hoist full reels from braiding, winding, or other fabricating machines, using power hoists.

Job outlook

United States
8% fewer jobs by 2035, declining · about 20,900 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

  • Animal slaughtering and processing13.2%
  • Temporary help services8.6%
  • Fabricated metal product manufacturing7.4%
  • Converted paper product manufacturing5.1%
  • Printing and related support activities4.5%

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

Experience before this job: Up to 1 month

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: Up to 1 monthEntry-level

This is an entry-level job. Most people start with a high school diploma and need up to about a month of related experience, so you can often begin soon after finishing school.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finishing high school gives you the basic education most employers ask for, and shows you can follow instructions and work reliably.

  2. Helper--Production Worker

    Up to 1 month of training on the job

    You learn the job by working alongside experienced production workers, handing them materials and tools, and keeping the work area clean and safe.

Where it can lead

  1. Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

    1-2 years of experience first

    You move from general helping to assisting skilled installers and repair workers, which builds hands-on knowledge of equipment and tools.

  2. Maintenance Workers, Machinery

    1-2 years of experience first

    You take on responsibility for keeping machines running, usually after finishing a certificate or apprenticeship program that teaches you how machines work and how to fix them.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, technology, or industrial arts classesThese classes teach you basic tool use and how workplaces and machines operate, which is useful for production work.
  • Take math and science classesBasic measurement, reading charts, and understanding how things work will help you follow production instructions and safety procedures.
  • Get a part-time or summer jobAny job that teaches reliability, teamwork, and following safety rules gives you experience employers look for in helpers.
  • Join a Career and Technical Education (CTE) club or a school workshopHands-on group projects build teamwork and practical skills you can mention when you apply for jobs.
  • Learn workplace safety basicsKnowing how to handle tools and keep a work area safe is a key part of production helper work, and it makes you a stronger job candidate.

In college

  • Take courses in manufacturing, industrial technology, or operationsCoursework on how factories and production lines run helps you understand the bigger picture and move into skilled roles.
  • Find a campus job in a lab, maintenance, or stockroomWorking with equipment and following procedures builds the hands-on habits production employers want.
  • Join a student engineering, technology, or trades clubClubs give you teamwork practice and a chance to learn from people who already work with machines.
  • Look for a summer job or internship at a factory or warehouseReal production experience helps you see what daily work is like and gives you a reference for future jobs.
  • Consider a safety or equipment-operation certificationMany employers value basic safety training, and certifications like this can make you a more competitive candidate.

Tips for getting started

  • Show up on time, keep your work area clean, and ask questions when you're unsure. These habits matter a lot to employers hiring for helper jobs.
  • Look for part-time or summer work in a factory, warehouse, or workshop to get a feel for production settings and build a work record.
  • Pay attention to which machines and tools your coworkers use most. Learning their names and how they work can help you move into a skilled role later.

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.

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