Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between operators trainee and plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a plant operator has an average salary of $42,697, which is higher than the $36,978 average annual salary of an operator trainee.
The top three skills for an operator trainee include customer service, hand tools and CDL. The most important skills for a plant operator are plant equipment, plant operations, and preventative maintenance.
| Operator Trainee | Plant Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $36,978 | $42,697 |
| Hourly rate | $17.78 | $20.53 |
| Growth rate | 7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 73,657 | 43,388 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
The duties of an operator trainee depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around gaining insights by performing support tasks such as producing progress reports and documentation, maintaining records, coordinating with other members of the workforce, and operating machines while under the supervision of a manager or senior operator. Furthermore, as an operator trainee, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for everyone.
A plant operator's primary role is to supervise and oversee operations in an industrial setting. They are responsible for controlling machinery and equipment, coordinating with fellow officers, monitoring the quality of progress among a particular unit or department, and maintaining daily operations records. A plant operator may also respond to inquiries and issues, perform basic troubleshooting, and provide corrective measures. Furthermore, a plant operator must conduct regular inspection and maintenance to ensure a safe work environment for everyone, all while implementing the plant's safety policies and regulations.
Operators trainee and plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operator Trainee | Plant Operator | |
| Average salary | $36,978 | $42,697 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $32,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Middletown, CT | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Idaho |
| Best paying company | IBM | NW Natural |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between an operator trainee and a plant operator in terms of educational background:
| Operator Trainee | Plant Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Here are the differences between operators trainee' and plant operators' demographics:
| Operator Trainee | Plant Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.5% Female, 22.5% | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 9.3% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |