Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators tend or operate cooking machines used to process and preserve food products made from milk, sugar, meats, cheese, or grain. These machines include steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers.

Job Duties 

Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators may:

Read work orders and formulas to determine the type and quantity of ingredients, cooking time, and temperature required

Measure or weigh the prescribed ingredients

Turn valves to add water or oil into the cooking container

Observe gages and turn valves to maintain specified temperature

Dump ingredients into the machine and mix them to specifications

Tend machines that cook food products and other ingredients according to specifications

Turn valves to drain the machine, and remove the food product

Place the food product on carts or a conveyor

Record the ingredients, cooking time, and temperature for each food product batch

Tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators may specialize according to the type of product produced or the machine operated.

526.685-010 COOKS tend equipment that bake, boil, and deep fry such meats as ham, beef, liver, pork, sausage, tongue, and tripe, in preparation for further processing.

526.685-018 VACUUM KETTLE COOKS tend open kettles and vacuum cookers to cook fruits and berries or jellies and jams.

526.685-022 COOKERS tend steam-heated pressure cookers to cook cracked and tempered grain for further processing into cereal products.

526.665-010 PROCESS CHEESE COOKERS tend vats to cook blended cheeses or cheese curd and other ingredients to make processed cheese.

523.685-034 MEAL COOKERS tend steam cookers that break down oil cells and control the moisture content of corn, soybeans, cottonseed, linseed meal or fish, before their oils are extracted.

522.685-034 CORN COOKERS tend cooking equipment that cooks corn in steam cooking vats and kettles, in order to soften the corn in preparation for grinding into other products, such as masa (cornmeal dough), for use in making corn chips and tortillas.

526.685-046 POTATO-CHIP FRIERS tend machines that wash, slice, fry, and salt potatoes to make potato chips.

523.685-114 STERILIZER OPERATORS tend conveyor lines enclosed in a series of circular chambers to cook canned milk in order to sterilize and change the viscosity and color of the milk.

526.682-034 RETORT OPERATORS control retort chambers (steam pressure cookers) to cook canned foods according to specifications.

522.685-018 BRINE MAKERS tend steam cookers to prepare brines and pickling solutions that are used for preserving food products.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators work indoors in factories under the direction of a supervisor. They may work alone, or with others on large machines such as a retort.

Conditions may vary with the product, the cooking process, or the size and modernization of the factory. They may work in noisy, hot, humid, and wet canneries. Some work in large modern plants with good ventilation and floor drainage systems.

They usually work a 5-day, 40-hour week. They must do shift work in some factories. They might have to work overtime to meet production demands. Some work year-round in plants that process non-seasonal foods such as meats, milk, and potato chip products. Some work only during the harvest season in small, seasonal plants that process fruits, vegetables, and seafood.

Operators may be required to purchase company uniforms. Some workers will receive uniforms as they wear them out. Workers are also required to wear protective hair coverings which the company may or may not furnish.

Operators may join unions such as the United Dairy Workers Union and the American Federation of Grain Millers. Union members must pay periodic dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities dealing with things and objects

• Activities of a routine, definite, organized nature

• Activities which involve the use of machines, processes, or methods

You Should Be Able To:

• Continuously perform the same work

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy

• Repeat activities/tasks of short duration according to a set procedure

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If a recipe calls for 4 cups of flour per 20 servings, how much flour do you use for 100 servings?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Despite everyone's best efforts, however, accidents do sometimes occur. If you are involved in any accident while at work, report it to your supervisor immediately.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report explaining any malfunction that may have occurred with the equipment.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to observe a piece of machinery that is malfunctioning and then decide how to complete your job without it.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond High School) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0100 AGRISCIENCE , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

There are no Postsecondary Programs related to this MOIScript  

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program  

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript  

E-Learning Courses and Programs  

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Opportunities to explore or gain experience as a Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operator may be obtained by part-time or summer work as a laborer in a food processing plant.

            School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operator employer

internships

volunteer work with a Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operator employer

community service work with an agency

The most common method of entering this occupation is by applying directly to the employers that process and preserve food products made from sugar, meats, cheese, or grain. Assistance in locating a job may be available from your high school placement office or from a local Michigan Works! office. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:       

 Michigan Talent Bank ( http://www.michworks.org/mtb/user/MTB_EMPL.EntryMainPage )

Classifieds Employment ( http://www.classifieds2000.com )

Yahoo! Careers ( http://careers.yahoo.com/ )

MONSTER.COM  ( http://www.monster.com )

Michigan Works! ( http://www.michiganworks.org )

Michigan Department of Career Development ( http://www.michigan.gov/mdcd/ )

            You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators vary according to experience, the employer, geographic location, and unionization.

Nationally, earnings of all Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators averaged about $13.14 per hour in late 2001. Workers operating fluid milk processing machines averaged $15.70 an hour; those processing natural and processed cheeses averaged $13.32 an hour. Those processing grain mill products averaged $15.50 an hour.

The median hourly earnings of  "all" workers in the U.S. were $14.92 in 2001.

In Michigan, the wage rate for Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators working in unionized plants ranged from about $$16.31 to $22.31 per hour (mid 2002).

Many unionized food and dairy processing workers also receive a cost-of-living allowance.

Depending on the employer, Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators may receive paid vacations, life and medical insurance, paid holidays, and a pension plan. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by the employer.

Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators usually start as unskilled or semiskilled workers and are trained on-the-job. Training varies with the complexity of the job, but is usually 1 to 3 months. A possible career ladder may be: trainee, Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operator, supervisor. Advancement of Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators depends on experience, education, job performance, and supervisory ability. The size and policies of the employer are additional determining factors.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, there were about 76,100 Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators employed in 2000. While employment in food processing is expected to grow more slowly than then average for all occupations through the year 2010, employment in dairy processing is expected to show little or no change. Some openings will occur each year due to replacement of workers who retire, die, or leave the labor force for other reasons. The industry distribution for Food and Dairy Processing Machine operators looked like this:

In spite of a growing population and a rising standard of living, new technology and food processing methods will decrease the number of Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators needed.

There were about 625 Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators employed in Michigan. Most worked in food production plants that preserved or processed food products, such as canned fruits, vegetables, and meats; dairy products; and cereal.

The employment of Food and Dairy Processing Machine Operators in Michigan is expected to decline through the year 2008.  Most annual openings will be due to replacement of workers who retire, transfer, or leave the labor force for other reasons. The number of households with single families, fewer children, and more elderly people have increased. These changing population trends have sustained the demand for processed foods that are nutritious and conveniently packaged.

Automation has caused many small food processing plants to close because of an inability to compete with new, more efficient plants.        

MICHIGAN'S AREA EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008  

  EMPLOYMENT                     NUMBER        PERCENT            PROJECTED YEARLY

  REGION                                 EMPLOYED   GROWTH              JOB OPENINGS

  Battle Creek Area                    45                     -25.0                       2

  Detroit MSA                           50                     -20.3                        3

  Flint Area                                10                     -37.5                        0

  Grand Rapids Area                  80                     -13.9                        4

  Kalamazoo Area                      35                     -4.5                         1

  Lansing MSA                           70                       7.2                         3

  Saginaw MSA                          35                      -20.6                      1 

  West Central Michigan              45                       -25.6                     1

  Muskegon Area                        10                       -11.1                      0

  Northwest Lower Peninsula       20                       -14.3                      0

  Thumb Area                              30                       -10.7                      1

  Upper Peninsula                        10                       -30.0                      0

  West Central Michigan              80                       -18.3                       2

  Benton Harbor Area                 10                         -5.0                        0

  Central Michigan                       5                            0.0                        0

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2008

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

SUMMARY PROFILE

The occupation of Food & Dairy Processing Machine Operator can be summarized by the following:

Copyright © 2003 Michigan Department of Career Development