Production · Holland code RC

Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic

Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.

Also called: Caster, Mold Mechanic, Molder, Molding Line Operator, Bed Laborer, Injection Molding Machine Operator, Machine Operator, Press Operator.

O*NET 51-9195.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $46,170; Middle half earn $39,280 to $53,000. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Read work orders or examine parts to determine parts or sections of products to be produced.
Brush or spray mold surfaces with parting agents or insert paper into molds to ensure smoothness and prevent sticking or seepage.
Engrave or stamp identifying symbols, letters, or numbers on products.
Assemble, insert, and adjust wires, tubes, cores, fittings, rods, or patterns into molds, using hand tools and depth gauges.
Clean, finish, and lubricate molds and mold parts.
Separate models or patterns from molds and examine products for accuracy.
Set the proper operating temperature for each casting.
Load or stack filled molds in ovens, dryers, or curing boxes, or on storage racks or carts.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension2.9 / 5
Active Listening2.9 / 5
Speaking2.8 / 5
Monitoring2.8 / 5
Writing2.6 / 5
Critical Thinking2.6 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing3.3 / 5
Mechanical3.0 / 5
Administration and Management2.9 / 5
English Language2.6 / 5
Mathematics2.6 / 5
Engineering and Technology2.5 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic94
Investigative21
Artistic19
Social0
Enterprising0
Conventional55

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

ceramicist · DE Keramiker/Keramikerin · FR céramiste
sculptor · DE Bildhauer/Bildhauerin · FR sculpteur/sculptrice
coquille casting worker · DE Gießereimechaniker Schwerpunkt Druck- und Kokillenguss/Gießereimechanikerin Schwerpunkt Druck- und Kokillenguss · FR coquilleur en fonderie/coquilleuse en fonderie
foundry moulder · DE Gießereimechaniker Schwerpunkt Kernherstellung/Gießereimechanikerin Schwerpunkt Kernherstellung · FR mouleur en fonderie/mouleuse en fonderie
mouldmaker · DE Gießereimechaniker Schwerpunkt Handformguss/Gießereimechanikerin Schwerpunkt Handformguss · FR mouleur noyauteur/mouleuse noyauteuse
casting mould maker · DE Technischer Modellbauer Fachrichtung Gießerei/Technische Modellbauerin Fachrichtung Gießerei · FR modeleur mouliste/modeleuse mouliste

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out (5222)8,600 employed
Artists (3411)64,500 employed
Process operatives n.e.c. (8119)26,300 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.18. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9195).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test