Lathe and Turning Machine Operators
Skills & Knowledge
Most Important Skills for Lathe and Turning Machine Operators
- Controlling Quality—Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Operating Equipment—Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring Equipment—Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Coordinating with Others—Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Troubleshooting—Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Most Important Knowledge Areas for Lathe and Turning Machine Operators
- Mechanical—Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Production and Processing—Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Engineering and Technology—Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Transportation—Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Public Safety and Security—Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:
- Realistic—Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative—Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Learn more about your interests. Take the MnCareers Interest Assessment.
Describe Your Skills
People who have worked in this career typically perform the following tasks.
These statements can help a prospective employer understand what you can do, on a resume or during an interview.
- Controlling machines and processes.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to find or fix problems.
- Collecting information from different sources.
- Evaluating information to determine compliance with standards.
- Monitoring information from a variety of sources to find problems.
- Handling and moving objects.
- Making decisions or solving problems.
- Identifying information by categorizing, comparing, or detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Careers that Use Similar Skills
The following careers use skills, knowledge, and abilities that are similar to those used for Lathe and Turning Machine Operators.
- Multiple Machine Tool Operators
- Woodworking Machine Operators
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Operators
- Wood Sawing Machine Operators
- Forging Machine Operators
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Operators
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
- Milling and Planing Machine Operators
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Operators
View more careers in the Manufacturing cluster
View more careers in the Production pathway
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.