Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

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.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

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.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Crushing, Grinding, Polishing, Mixing, and Blending Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Observe operation of equipment to ensure continuity of flow, safety, and efficient operation, and to detect malfunctions.

Clean, adjust, and maintain equipment, using hand tools.

Tend accessory equipment, such as pumps and conveyors, to move materials or ingredients through production processes.

Move controls to start, stop, or adjust machinery and equipment that crushes, grinds, polishes, or blends materials.

Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products at specified intervals to ensure conformance to requirements.

Record data from operations, testing, and production on specified forms.

Reject defective products and readjust equipment to eliminate problems.

Inspect chains, belts, or scrolls for signs of wear.

Microsoft Excel

Email software

SAP software

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Phillips head screwdrivers

Straight screwdrivers

Overhead cranes

Measuring tapes

Material-hoisting slings

Scrapers

Comealongs

Holding clamps

Socket wrench sets

Layout squares

Handtrucks

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Every day

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Once a week or more but not every day

Number of hours typically worked in one week.

More than 40 hours

40 hours

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

Less than half the time

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

Limited freedom

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Very high responsibility

High responsibility

How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

Important

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Very little freedom

How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Overview

Career

What Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Other Job Titles Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Related Careers

Related Leaders