What do CNC workers do?
CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. The machining jobs included in the CNC field offer a wide variety of choices. CNC jobs entail working with different types of metalworking equipment depending on the job you choose. CNC equipment includes lathes, turret punches, EDMs, grinders, routers, milling machines, and drills. It also may include using high-powered cutting devices such as oxy-fuel or waterjet propellants, lasers, and plasma cutters.
The different types of CNC machinist jobs include aerospace machinist jobs, who are known as vertical CNC machinist jobs, operators, technicians, and many others. There may be other duties required in addition to basic CNC duties depending on the job you take. Some companies want machinists who will also be involved in package shipping and receiving, while others may want someone who can also provide programming services or develop prototypes for research and development. CNC operators use machinery that is needed to make car parts, compressors, and many other types of precision products.
The CNC Training and Education Required
While there are some associate degree programs available in manufacturing technology, a good number of CNC operators are trained through an apprenticeship or on-the-job CNC training. Community colleges and technical schools will offer associate degrees as well as certificate programs that can also be found through trade schools and vocational schools. If this job is what you want, it might be a good time to go back to school. Depending on the job and your employer, you may also need to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or be required to take advanced courses in computer programming. There are many employers that require employees to have experience with manufacturing and computer design programs as well as have basic computer programming skills.
- CNC Vocational and Technical Schools
There are technical schools that offers CNC related course training. It should be simple enough to request a free brochure and learn more about their application and training process. Make sure to find out the school costs for CNC related degrees and how many graduates get jobs as soon as they leave.
The growing trend for CNC job requirements is to be competent in all aspects of computer numerically controlled work. Not only should you be able to carry out a design and manufacture the physical product, but you should have some programming skills. CNC workers have expressed a greater sense of worth and accomplishment on the job for working from design to final product compared to if they were just working on a singular aspect of the product development. With so much marketable job skills to gain, CNC jobs are certainly not a dead end job.
On average, a CNC Machinist certificate course will generally cost from $2000 to $6000. Associate and bachelor degrees required for certain CNC machinist jobs vary greatly in cost depending on the courses taken as well as the school attended.
How much does a CNC worker make?
The average income for a CNC machinist is approximately $41,000, with the lowest salary being approximately $38,000 for a normal day shift CNC machinist and the highest salary being about $61,000 for a CNC boring bar machinist.
Since there are wide arrays of jobs that are included in the CNC machinist category, the job duties and responsibilities will be determined by the particular field or job in which the machinist is employed. With the proper training and education, a CNC machinist job could be waiting for you.