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Overview
Drill press operators set up and run drill presses that cut material from fabricated workpieces or enlarge holes with rotating multipoint cutting tools.
In job descriptions, look for drill presses, drill bits, test runs, precision measuring equipment, workpieces, cutting waste, tool changes, quality standards and troubleshooting.
Explore this occupation
Open in Job ExplorerWhat the work can involve
Drill press work is centered on prepared workpieces, drill presses and accurate holes. The operator selects or loads drill bits, performs test runs, watches machine movement and removes finished or inadequate pieces before the next operation.
Skills and specializations
Useful depth comes from precision metalworking, drill bit types, measuring equipment, tool supply, cutting waste disposal and basic troubleshooting. Some roles add deburring, marking workpieces, machine maintenance or work with metal and plastic materials.
Salary context
Pay expectations usually reflect machine complexity, tolerances, production pace, shift work, inspection duties and responsibility for keeping equipment available. Jobs with setup, measurement and troubleshooting normally differ from simple machine tending.
Career paths
Development can move from supplying and unloading a drill press into setup, quality inspection, maintenance support, CNC or other metalworking machines, and training newer operators on test runs and measurement routines.
Good to know
Read vacancies for the material, hole tolerances, drill press type and measuring tools. A clear advert separates drill press operation from broader machining, warehouse work or general production assistance.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context, not official labour-market statistics or role-specific pay data.
Map overview
Click the map to search for drill press operator jobs.
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 3
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4031.00
Close relationship
The occupations are closely related, but the official mapping does not treat them as exact equivalents.
Open in O*NETMultiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4081.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETDrilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4032.00
O*NET occupation is broader
The O*NET occupation covers a broader field of work than this ESCO occupation.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
Alternative labels
drill operator
metal cnc-press operator
drill operative
drill-press operative
plastic CNC press operative
metal drill-press operator
metal CNC press operator
tapper operator
drill press tender
plastic drill-press operator
automatic drilling technician
automatic reaming machine operator
automatic drill punch operator
automatic drilling machine operative
drill operating technician
metal drill press operative
drill presser
drill press operative
metal CNC press operative
CNC press operative
plastic cnc-press operative
plastic drill press operator
reamer operator
drill press operator for metal
plastic drill-press operative
metal drill press operator
automatic driller and reamer
metal cnc-press operative
cnc-press operative
plastic drill press operative
metal drill-press operative
plastic cnc-press operator
barrel reamer
automatic drilling machine operator
plastic CNC press operator
Occupation group
Metal working machine tool setters and operators (7223)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/aa3780b7-3b06-40ae-8764-293fec6819d2 |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 7223.6 |
| ISCO group | 7223 |
| Concept type | Occupation |