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

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

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

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

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 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 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.

Helpers--Production Workers

Help production workers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

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 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 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 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

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

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

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

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

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

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

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

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

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

Miscellaneous Production Workers

Production Occupations

Other Production Occupations

Load and unload items from machines, conveyors, and conveyances.

Operate machinery used in the production process, or assist machine operators.

Place products in equipment or on work surfaces for further processing, inspecting, or wrapping.

Examine products to verify conformance to quality standards.

Start machines or equipment to begin production processes.

Observe equipment operations so that malfunctions can be detected, and notify operators of any malfunctions.

Remove products, machine attachments, or waste material from machines.

Lift raw materials, finished products, and packed items, manually or using hoists.

Transfer finished products, raw materials, tools, or equipment between storage and work areas of plants and warehouses, by hand or using hand trucks or powered lift trucks.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Operational databases

Adobe Acrobat

SAP software

Adobe InDesign

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Autodesk AutoCAD

Phillips head screwdrivers

Straight screwdrivers

Hand jacks

Pipe jacks

Platform ladders

Measuring tapes

Material-hoisting slings

Power hoists

Industrial vacuum cleaners

Soldering equipment

Planers

Handtrucks

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

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

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 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

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

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Never

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

Less than half the time

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

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

Extremely important

Very important

Important

Fairly important

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.)

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

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?

Helpers--Production Workers

Overview

Career

What Helpers--Production Workers Do

Other Job Titles Helpers--Production Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Helpers--Production Workers

Overview

Career

What Helpers--Production Workers Do

Other Job Titles Helpers--Production Workers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Helpers--Production Workers

Related Leaders