Skills
36 skills are associated with this occupation.
0 skills selected
Essential knowledge
4 skills
Essential skills / competences
14 skills
Optional knowledge
5 skills
Optional skills / competences
13 skills
Overview
Metal planer operators set up and run planing machines that remove excess material from metal workpieces with a straight cutting motion between tool and workpiece.
In job descriptions, look for planer setup, cutting tools, surface flatness, test runs, moving workpieces, machine monitoring, technical drawings, lifting equipment and handling of metal scrap.
Explore this occupation
Open in Job ExplorerWhat the work can involve
Metal planer operators work with a machine tool, a cutting head and a secured metal workpiece. The focus is a straight, controlled cut that removes excess material and leaves the required flat surface.
Skills and specializations
Useful skills include setting up the planer, choosing cutters, reading technical resources, measuring flatness, monitoring moving workpieces and running tests before production. Some jobs include manual planers, lifting equipment or scrap feeders.
Salary context
Pay is shaped by part size, tolerance demands, machine autonomy, setup responsibility, shift rhythm and whether the operator also advises on malfunctions or inspects finished surfaces.
Career paths
A planner can grow toward broader machine-tool setting, CNC or NC operation, quality inspection, tooling preparation, maintenance support or supervision of a small metalworking cell.
Good to know
Check whether the advert names planer type, metals, tolerances, drawings, lifting needs and scrap handling. That detail helps separate precision machining from basic machine feeding.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context, not official labour-market statistics or role-specific pay data.
Map overview
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Alternative labels
Occupation group
Metal working machine tool setters and operators (7223)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/a5245c01-4ca8-406e-a152-620c28530ea8 |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 7223.12 |
| ISCO group | 7223 |
| Concept type | Occupation |