Metal finishing operator

#35Declining

4/5

Key facts

−7%jobs, 2025 to 2035

United States

This job is declining in the United States. AI exposure: very low according to the ILO, low according to the BLS. Employment change in the United States by 2035: −7% (BLS). Future-proof jobs use similar skills: see "What next?".

The job

Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators (ISCO 8122). Metal finishing, plating and coating machine operators monitor and operate equipment which finishes, plates and coats metal articles or parts in order to give them improved resistance to corrosion and abrasion, for decorative purposes, or to impart electrical or magnetic properties.

Page built from official classifications (ILO, ESCO); figures cover all the jobs grouped here.

220 job titles linked to this page

Titles from the European ESCO classification. They are also used for search.

abrasive blaster
abrasive blasting cabinet operative
abrasive blasting operative
abrasive blasting operator
abrasive sandblaster
abrasive shot baster
air grinder
anode line operator
anode machine operative
anode machine operator
anode machine technician
anode treater
anode treater operator
anodise machine operator
anodiser
anodising line technician
anodising machine operative
anodising machine operator
automatic grinder operative
automatic grinder operator
back grinding machine operator
band filing machine operative
band filing machine operator
band filing machine setter
band filing machine tender
bearing grinder
bench filing machine operative
bench filing machine operator
bench filing machine setter
bench filing machine tender
bench grinder
billet grinder
bit grinder
blade grinder
broach grinder
bronze plater
burr bench hand
burr bench operator
burr tooling operator
burring bench operator
burring wheel operative
burring wheel operator
burring wheel technician
cast metal enameller
chrome plater
coater
coater adjuster
coater associate
coater operator
coater technician
coating and baking operator
coating and dipping operator
coating and embossing operator
coating and embossing unit operator
coating and enamelling operator
coating machine operative
coating machine operator
coating machine technician
coating machine worker
copper enameller
copper plater
crankshaft grinder
cylindrical grinder operator
deburr machine operative
deburrer
deburring and tooling machine operator
deburring and tooling machine technician
deburring machine operator
deflash and wash operative
deflash and wash operator
dip tank operative
dip tank operator
dip tank specialist
dip tank technician
dip tank worker
dipper
dipping machine apprentice
dipping machine technician
dipping tank operative
dipping tank operator
dipping tank specialist
dipping tank technician
dipping tank worker
disc grinder
drill grinder
edge grinder
electric plater
electro plater
electro plating technician
electro-plater
electrodeposition operator
electroplater
electroplating machine operator
emery grinder
enamel dipper
enamel dipper operator
enamel dipping machine operator
enamel machine apprentice
enamel machine operator
enamel machine technician
enameller
engineering dipper
filer
filing and stapling machine apprentice
filing and stapling machine operative
filing and stapling machine operator
filing and stapling machine technician
filing and stapling machine tender
filing machine operative
filing machine operator
filing machine specialist
filing machine technician
filing machine tender
filing machine worker
filing machinist
filing plant operative
filing plant operator
filing room operative
filing room operator
filling and grinding machine operator
galvanising machine operator
gold enameller
gold plater
gold plating machine operator
grit blaster
hot dip galvanizer
hot dip galvanizing operative
hot dip plater
hot dipping plater
hot-dip plater
impregnating tank operative
impregnating tank operator
jewelery artist
lock plater
machine washer
machine washing operative
machine washing operator
metal dipping machine operative
metal dipping machine operator
metal enameller
metal filer
metal filing machine operative
metal filing machine operator
metal filing machine setter
metal filing machine tender
metal finishing machine operative
metal finishing machine operator
metal finishing machine setter
metal finishing machine tender
metal grinder
metal plater
metal plating technician
nickel plater
non nickel plater
oxidised finish plater
paint prepper
paint prepping operative
plastic filer
plastic filing machine operator
plate grinder
plating tank operative
plating tank operator
plating tank technician
plating tanker operator
platinum enameller
precipitate machine washer
precipitate washer
production machine washer
production washer
rail grinder
razor grinder
reciprocating file operator
reciprocating filing machine operative
reciprocating filing machine operator
reciprocating filing machine setter
reciprocating filing machine tender
roll grinder
rolling grinder
rust proof machine operative
rust proof machine operator
rust removing operative
rust stripper
rust stripping operative
rust-proofing worker
rustproof machine operative
rustproof machine operator
rustproofer
rustproofing worker
sand blast operative
sand blast operator
sand blaster
sand blasting operator
sand mill blaster
sand mill grinder
sand-blaster
sandblast operator
sandblaster
sander
sander operative
sander operator
shot blaster
silver enameller
silver plater
stapling machine operative
stapling machine operator
stapling machine tender
surface grinding machine operator
tanker
tooling machine operator
tooling machine technician
tub washer
tub washer operative
tumbling machine operator
wash equipment operator
washer engineer
washing machine operative
washing machine operator
wood filer
wood filing machine operator
zinc plater

What next?

Future-proof jobs that draw on skills close to this one. They are leads to explore, not an assessment of your profile.

ChangingIndustrial maintenance technician
ChangingQuality inspector

Indicative matches: at launch they will come from the skills listed in official occupational directories.

Gauges

Risk 4/5 · High

AI exposureLowBLS AI exposure category "low" (2026), higher than the ILO 2025 index (very low)

Employment outlookSharp declineBLS, 2025-2035 projections (Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic; Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners; Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (+3))

Hiring difficultyNot availableNo US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job

PayModestBLS, 2025 median annual wage: $47,558

EntryQuickBLS, typical education needed for entry

No US indicator measures hiring difficulty job by job: this gauge stays empty. How countries are compared

Sources

AI exposure categories and employment projections, 2025-2035 (XLSX file)Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States · August 2026 · official statistics
Generative AI and Jobs: a refined global index of occupational exposureInternational Labour Organization and NASK · May 2025 · large survey
ESCO, European classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations (job titles and O*NET crosswalk)European Commission · version 1.2 · official statistics
Jobs in 2030: projections by occupational family (summary table)Dares and France Stratégie · March 2022 · official statistics
Labour needs survey (BMO) 2026France Travail · 2026 · large survey
EURES report on labour shortages and surpluses 2025, annexEuropean Labour Authority · June 2026 · official statistics

Checked on 27 October 2026.