A press brake operator most commonly works in manufacturing and production, handling tasks related to setting up and operating press brakes. They perform duties such as verifying the accuracy of machine settings and functions, detecting and reporting equipment malfuction, and working on products that conform to quality control.
As an essential part of the production line, a press brake operator must be knowledgeable in the machines and tools related to their duties and responsibilities. They also have to communicate with shift supervisors and next shift operators regarding all production-related items and processes.
To qualify for the job, a press brake operator is required to have at least a high school diploma or GED. Preferably, they also have prior experience in operating press brakes. Because of the nature of their work, they need physical stamina, the ability to read blueprints, familiarity with metals and measuring tools, and computer literacy.
What is a Press Brake Operator?
What Does a Press Brake Operator Do
There are certain skills that many press brake operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed computer skills, dexterity and mechanical skills.
How To Become a Press Brake Operator
If you're interested in becoming a press brake operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 9.6% of press brake operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.6% of press brake operators have master's degrees. Even though some press brake operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Press Brake Operator Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of welder you might progress to a role such as driver eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title superintendent.
Average Salary for a Press Brake Operator
What Am I Worth?
Top Skills For a Press Brake Operator
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 17.5% of press brake operators listed inspect parts on their resume, but soft skills such as computer skills and dexterity are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Press Brake Operator Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Press Brake Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Press Brake Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Press Brake Operator Demographics
Press Brake Operator Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among press brake operators, 8.9% of them are women, while 91.1% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among press brake operators is White, which makes up 72.4% of all press brake operators.
- The most common foreign language among press brake operators is Spanish at 81.4%.
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Best States For a Press Brake Operator
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a press brake operator. The best states for people in this position are Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. Press brake operators make the most in Rhode Island with an average salary of $42,212. Whereas in Delaware and New Hampshire, they would average $42,086 and $41,796, respectively. While press brake operators would only make an average of $41,500 in Connecticut, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Rhode Island
$42,212
Avg. Salary
2. New Hampshire
$41,796
Avg. Salary
3. Wisconsin
$40,319
Avg. Salary
How Do Press Brake Operator Rate Their Jobs?
5.0
5.0
Patience on the press • July 2019What do you like the most about working as Press Brake Operator?
It was challenging sort of an artistic job Show MoreWhat do you NOT like?
Heavy lifting a very physical job Show MoreTop Press Brake Operator Employers
Most Common Employers For Press Brake Operator
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eaton | $44,612 | $21.45 | 29 |
| 2 | Olympic Steel | $43,623 | $20.97 | 18 |
| 3 | AriensCo | $41,800 | $20.10 | 16 |
| 4 | Generac Holdings | $40,895 | $19.66 | 12 |
| 5 | Steelcase | $40,654 | $19.55 | 21 |
| 6 | Muza Metal Products | $40,338 | $19.39 | 15 |
| 7 | Trane | $39,340 | $18.91 | 15 |
| 8 | O'Neal Steel | $38,917 | $18.71 | 18 |
| 9 | Allied Air | $36,180 | $17.39 | 17 |
| 10 | General Sheet Metal | $35,879 | $17.25 | 18 |
Press Brake Operator Videos
