Occupation Details
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
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Interests
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.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$38,410.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$49,890.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$57,010.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
860
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
1,050
+19 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
110
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.2%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
Some Training - Certificate or hands-on training
Experience Requirements
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Education Requirements
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
School Programs
School Programs information is not available for this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active 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.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Basket strainers
- Cleaning scrapers
- Continuous baking furnaces
- Conveyor belts
- Curing ovens
- Dielectric power loss moisture meters
- Digital bench scales
- Digital calipers
- Digital hygrometers
- Digital micrometers
- Drying ovens
- Electric hoists
- Electric moisture meters
- Electronic top-loading balances
- Glass kilns
- Handtrucks
- High-heat digital thermometers
- Hot air core drying ovens
- Industrial air dryers
- Industrial production electric furnaces
- Material shovels
- Moving carts
- Natural gas powered boilers
- Optical pyrometers
- Radial arm saws
- Resistance moisture meters
- Self-calculating balances
- Skid steers
- Table saws
- Tracked overhead cranes
Technology
- Inventory tracking software
- Machine operation software
- Microsoft Excel
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- adjust production equipment/machinery setup
- maintain or repair industrial or related equipment/machinery
- clean equipment or machinery
- maintain production or work records
- test manufactured products or materials
- measure, weigh, or count products or materials
- apply cleaning solvents
- move or fit heavy objects
- confer with engineering, technical or manufacturing personnel
- read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
- monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
- collect samples for testing
- load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- maintain consistent production quality
- examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
- operate woodworking equipment/machinery
- operate chemical processing equipment
- operate laundering or dry cleaning equipment
- use precision measuring tools or equipment
- operate pulp or paper making equipment
- operate metal or plastic fabricating equipment/machinery
- operate textile production equipment/machinery
- use hand or power tools
- operate ore refining/foundry equipment/machinery
- operate glass or stone working equipment/machinery
- operate hoist, winch, or hydraulic boom
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
- Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
- Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
- Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.
- Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.
- Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.
- Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing.
- Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions.
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.
- Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures.
- Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers.
- Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed.
- Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets.
- Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.
- Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools.
- Sprinkle chemicals on the surface of molten metal to bring impurities to surface and remove impurities, using strainers.