We surveyed 2,220 machinists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical machinist. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a machinist?
Low
High
Working as a machinist typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become a machinist?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a machinist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a machinist?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically not very difficult to find a job as a machinist. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for machinists.
Do machinists work full-time or part-time?
88% of machinists work in full-time roles while 12% work part-time.
Is being a machinist stressful?
Low
High
Machinists tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a machinist?
Low
High
Organization is not considered a particuarly important part of being a machinist.
How competitive is the workplace for machinists?
Low
High
Competition at work is not common for machinists.
Does being a machinist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for machinists.
Are machinists allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Machinists rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.
Do machinists have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Machinists tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.
Is being a machinist physically demanding?
Low
High
Being a machinist may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.
Are machinists exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
Machinists tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.
Does being a machinist require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for machinists.
Does being a good machinist require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
The ability to be compassion and empathetic isn't considered fundamental to success as a machinist.