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

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

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 arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

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

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

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

Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

Use hand tools or hand-held power tools to cut and trim a variety of manufactured items, such as carpet, fabric, stone, glass, 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 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 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 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

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

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed

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

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

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

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

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

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.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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

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

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

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Cutting Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Mark or discard items with defects such as spots, stains, scars, snags, chips, scratches, or unacceptable shapes or finishes.

Trim excess material or cut threads off finished products, such as cutting loose ends of plastic off a manufactured toy for a smoother finish.

Cut, shape, and trim materials, such as textiles, food, glass, stone, and metal, using knives, scissors, and other hand tools, portable power tools, or bench-mounted tools.

Position templates or measure materials to locate specified points of cuts or to obtain maximum yields, using rules, scales, or patterns.

Read work orders to determine dimensions, cutting locations, and quantities to cut.

Mark cutting lines around patterns or templates, or follow layout points, using squares, rules, and straightedges, and chalk, pencils, or scribes.

Mark identification numbers, trademarks, grades, marketing data, sizes, or model numbers on products.

Unroll, lay out, attach, or mount materials or items on cutting tables or machines.

Separate materials or products according to size, weight, type, condition, color, or shade.

Fold or shape materials before or after cutting them.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Carpet cutters

Carpet knives

Carpet trimmers

Loop pile carpet cutters

Handsaws

Jab saws

Utility saws

Cordless cutters

Rotary cutters

Tack strip cutters

Wire duct cutting tools

Cut-off saws

Foam rubber cutter

Tubing cutters

Flat cold chisels

Stone hammers

Awl sets

Multipurpose hammers

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

Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

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.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

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

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

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

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

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

Every day

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Continually or almost continually

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

More than half the time

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Once a week or more but not every day

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Extremely important

Important

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

A lot of freedom

Very little freedom

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

No contact with others

How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?

Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers

Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

Overview

Career

What Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Do

Other Job Titles Cutters and Trimmers, Hand May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

Overview

Career

What Cutters and Trimmers, Hand Do

Other Job Titles Cutters and Trimmers, Hand May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Cutters and Trimmers, Hand