What does an operator trainee do?
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.
Operator trainee responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real operator trainee resumes:
- Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
- Operate valves, pumps and extruders.
- Work oilfield operations as a Jr.
- Perform LOTO on process equipment and piping.
- Work with PLC technician on solving PLC issues.
- Assist crew workers with laying asphalt and smoothing asphalt out.
- Used hoists to put rolls of film on and off machines.
- Operate various extruders, calendars, sheet machines, and mixers.
- Load sulfuric and phosphoric acid barges under a USCG merchant mariners license.
- Acquire increasing knowledge of the development and administration of FSA policy and programs.
- Identify and troubleshoot process equipment, process problems, and work toward solutions.
- Operate wrapping machines, pallet jacks and other equipment to prepare pallets for movement.
- Operate and maintain equipment used in the extrusion of gspp material to coat pipes.
- Complete sales of single tickets and subscriptions and run the will-call line before show times.
- Monitor and maintain all aspects of offshore oil and production, BSEE government testing and compliance.
Operator trainee skills and personality traits
We calculated that 19% of Operators Trainee are proficient in Customer Service, Hand Tools, and CDL. They’re also known for soft skills such as Coordination, Mechanical skills, and Visual ability.
We break down the percentage of Operators Trainee that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 19%
Demonstrated excellent customer service by providing other general banking services and answered customer questions.
- Hand Tools, 15%
Assisted press operator to remove and replace worn rollers and adjust pressure between rollers, using hand tools.
- CDL, 11%
Hired to utilize currently held CDL with Passenger endorsement.
- DOT, 5%
DOT Pre-Trip Inspections Transported deliveries locally and over the road.
- Minor Maintenance, 4%
Calibrate and preforms minor maintenance on safety, spill response and maintenance equipment.
- Hazardous Materials, 4%
Learn the methods of on-the-job safety to foster safe handling, loading and storage of hazardous materials.
Most operators trainee use their skills in "customer service," "hand tools," and "cdl" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential operator trainee responsibilities here:
Coordination. The most essential soft skill for an operator trainee to carry out their responsibilities is coordination. This skill is important for the role because "material moving machine operators must have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely." Additionally, an operator trainee resume shows how their duties depend on coordination: "route planning, data entry, and coordination of warehouse cargo. "
Mechanical skills. Another essential skill to perform operator trainee duties is mechanical skills. Operators trainee responsibilities require that "material moving machine operators make minor adjustments to their machines and perform basic maintenance on them." Operators trainee also use mechanical skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "read and understood mechanical, electrical, and scada systems. "
Visual ability. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of operators trainee is visual ability. This skill is critical to many everyday operator trainee duties, as "material moving machine operators must be able to see clearly where they are driving or what they are moving." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "conducted visual and microscope inspections to ensure product quality; made adjustments as needed. "
Communication skills. A big part of what operators trainee do relies on "communication skills." You can see how essential it is to operator trainee responsibilities because "material moving machine operators signal and direct workers to load and unload material." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical operator trainee tasks: "maintained proper communication with management and frac crews on/off-site. "
The three companies that hire the most operator trainees are:
- Halliburton40 operators trainee jobs
- JBS USA38 operators trainee jobs
- Walmart30 operators trainee jobs
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Compare different operators trainee
Operator trainee vs. Technical machine operator
A handle machine operator is responsible for operating production machines, conducting preventive maintenance, and ensuring optimal performance to prevent delays in orders or project deliverables. Handle machine operators analyze schematics and blueprints, inspect components for inconsistencies, replace defective parts, and upgrade systems as needed for higher operational efficiency. They also create resolution records for reference and manage maintenance standards to prevent downtimes. A handle machine operator must have excellent mechanical skills, especially on identifying machine problems and following specifications.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an operator trainee are more likely to require skills like "customer service," "hand tools," "cdl," and "direct supervision." On the other hand, a job as a technical machine operator requires skills like "basic math," "math," "preventative maintenance," and "safety regulations." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Technical machine operators earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $35,834. On the other hand, operators trainee are paid more in the energy industry with an average salary of $41,905.technical machine operators tend to reach lower levels of education than operators trainee. In fact, technical machine operators are 5.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Operator trainee vs. General machine operator
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that operator trainee responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "hand tools," "cdl," and "direct supervision." But a general machine operator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "math," "production process," "machine operation," and "tape measure."
General machine operators earn a lower average salary than operators trainee. But general machine operators earn the highest pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $35,435. Additionally, operators trainee earn the highest salaries in the energy with average pay of $41,905 annually.In general, general machine operators achieve lower levels of education than operators trainee. They're 6.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operator trainee vs. Handle machine operator
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from operator trainee resumes include skills like "customer service," "hand tools," "cdl," and "direct supervision," whereas a handle machine operator is more likely to list skills in "forklifts," "cranes," "production lines," and "customer orders. "
Handle machine operators earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $34,314. Comparatively, operators trainee have the highest earning potential in the energy industry, with an average salary of $41,905.When it comes to education, handle machine operators tend to earn lower degree levels compared to operators trainee. In fact, they're 6.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Operator trainee vs. Lining machine operator
Types of operator trainee
Updated January 8, 2025
