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Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

	Median Wage (USD, 2025)	Projected Job Openings (2025-2035)	Projected Growth (2025-2035)
National Statistics	$42660	800	-21.2%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$42660

Median Wage (USD, 2025)

800

Projected Job Openings (2025-2035)

-21.2%

Projected Growth (2025-2035)

Grind, sand, or polish, using hand tools or hand-held power tools, a variety of metal, wood, stone, clay, plastic, or glass objects. Includes chippers, buffers, and finishers.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Clean workpieces or finished products.
Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
Smooth metal surfaces or edges.
Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
Operate grinding equipment.
Select production equipment according to product specifications.
Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
Compare physical characteristics of materials or products to specifications or standards.
Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
Record operational or production data.
Trim excess material from workpieces.
Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
Load materials into production equipment.
Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences.
Apply solutions to production equipment.
Repair production equipment or tools.
Maintain production or processing equipment.
Sharpen cutting or grinding tools.
Reshape metal workpieces to established specifications.
Clean production equipment.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Verify quality of finished workpieces by inspecting them, comparing them to templates, measuring their dimensions, or testing them in working machinery.
Grind, sand, clean, or polish objects or parts to correct defects or to prepare surfaces for further finishing, using hand tools and power tools.
Measure and mark equipment, objects, or parts to ensure grinding and polishing standards are met.
Trim, scrape, or deburr objects or parts, using chisels, scrapers, and other hand tools and equipment.
Mark defects, such as knotholes, cracks, and splits, for repair.
Study blueprints or layouts to determine how to lay out workpieces or saw out templates.
Move controls to adjust, start, or stop equipment during grinding and polishing processes.
Load and adjust workpieces onto equipment or work tables, using hand tools.
Repair and maintain equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
Select files or other abrasives, according to materials, sizes and shapes of workpieces, amount of stock to be removed, finishes specified, and steps in finishing processes.
File grooved, contoured, and irregular surfaces of metal objects, such as metalworking dies and machine parts, to conform to templates, other parts, layouts, or blueprint specifications.
Sharpen abrasive grinding tools, using machines and hand tools.
Transfer equipment, objects, or parts to specified work areas, using moving devices.
Remove completed workpieces from equipment or work tables, using hand tools, and place workpieces in containers.
Record product and processing data on specified forms.
Apply solutions and chemicals to equipment, objects, or parts, using hand tools.
Clean brass particles from files by drawing file cards through file grooves.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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