Career Explorer Production
Human edge, growing
Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 96% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.8% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $46,170
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- 5,100
- People doing it (2025)
- 43,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then long on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance
- Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment
- Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Engrave objects
- Shape materials to create products
- Cut materials
What the work looks like
- Read work orders or examine parts to determine parts or sections of products to be produced.
- Brush or spray mold surfaces with parting agents or insert paper into molds to ensure smoothness and prevent sticking or seepage.
- Engrave or stamp identifying symbols, letters, or numbers on products.
- Assemble, insert, and adjust wires, tubes, cores, fittings, rods, or patterns into molds, using hand tools and depth gauges.
- Clean, finish, and lubricate molds and mold parts.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as more prefabricated concrete products are used in construction, requiring workers to mold, shape, or cast these products.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Tree trimmers and prunersHuman edge, growing, Index 98, +4.2%
- Farm equipment mechanics and service techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 98, +10.7%
- Motorboat mechanics and service techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +4.9%
- Solar photovoltaic installersHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +36.5%
Also known as: Caster, Mold Mechanic, Molder, Molding Line Operator, Carver, Polisher, Stone Carver, Stone Cutter.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.