Food batchmakers operate mixing, blending, and cooking machines for use in the manufacture of various types of food products. They work in spaces specially designed for food processing and preservation, and normally work standard 40-hour weeks.
Job Skills
Certain basic skills are required of food batchmakers. They need to possess good coordination and depth perception, adequate physical strength, and the ability to distinguish between colors. Depending on the State in which they work, a health certificate may be required as well.
Income
In 2002, poultry and fish cutters and trimmers earned a median annual salary of $21,920. Earnings ranged from the lowest 10 percent, who earned less than $13,930, and the highest 10 percent, who earned more than $35,110. The highest median annual salaries were found in dairy product manufacturing, while the lowest were found in sugar and confectionary product manufacturing.
Training and Education
Minimal to no training is required to obtain a job as a food batchmaker. Most employees are trained on the job. Depending on the employer, this training can be formal or informal and last from one month to a year. A certain number of food batchmakers enroll in an approved apprenticeship program.
Employment
Out of the nearly 757,000 food processing jobs in 2002, about 74,000 people were employed as food batchmakers.
Job Outlook
Between 2002 and 2012, the number of food batchmakers is expected to grow more slowly than the average. Advances in automated cooking technology mean more of this type of work is being completed at the manufacturing level rather than the retail level.
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