Overview
Concrete, clay and stone forming operators cast and finish concrete products, operate machines to extrude, mould, press and bake clay products, and operate machines to form, cut and finish stone products. They are employed by concrete, clay and stone products manufacturing companies.
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Concrete products forming and finishing machine operators and workers
Set up, adjust and operate single-function machines to mix, drill, grind and cut concrete to specifications in the manufacture of concrete products
Check products for quality control, repair flaws and perform ongoing machine adjustments and minor maintenance as necessary
Move products using forklift, crane or hydraulic hoist
Record manufacturing information such as quantity, size and type of goods produced
Construct clay models and moulds by hand and with hand tools for use in casting concrete products
Build and repair wooden forms used to mould concrete products
Position reinforcing rods or wire mesh in moulds and fill moulds with concrete from suspended pouring buckets
Start vibrating tables to settle concrete, or tamp concrete using electric vibrator
Remove castings from mould with crane or forklift, and finish surfaces of castings using screed or trowel
Cut cured concrete pipe sections with saw or chisel, and cement sections together to form odd shaped fittings.
Clay products forming and finishing machine operators
Set up and operate automatic machines that mix ingredients, extrude tempered clay mixture and cut extruded clay into sections to make products such as bricks, drain tiles and porcelain insulators
Operate mechanical or hydraulic ram and hot-presses to form pottery and porcelain ware
Prepare and mix slip and fill moulds with slip to form pottery and porcelain ware such as jugs, cups, sinks and toilet bowls
Operate kiln to bake clay products to specified hardness.
Stone forming and finishing workers
Operate blade or wire saws to cut blocks of stone to specified dimensions
Operate machines to grind and polish surfaces of stone blocks, slabs or other stone products to specific shape or design and to produce smooth finish
Operate sandblasting equipment to cut inscriptions or decorative designs in stone monuments
Finish stone products with spray paint and by mounting plaques or installing concrete bases
Operate stone-dressing lathe to sharpen and dress grindstones that grind logs into pulp
Operate machine to drill holes in blocks or slabs of stone according to specifications.
Employment prospects
Annual salary
$41,712
$54,956
$77,167
Job openings
Use this interactive map to explore job openings in different regions across B.C.
British Columbia
50expected job openings (5-year forecast)
Education and training
Employment requirements
Some secondary school education may be required.
On-the-job training is provided.
Experience as a helper or labourer in concrete, clay or stone products manufacturing may be required.
Additional information
Mobility is possible between workers within each of the concrete, clay and stone manufacturing sectors, but there is little or no mobility between these manufacturing sectors.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Certification requirements
Post-secondary programs in B.C.
No post-secondary education required
No post-secondary education required. You can work in this career without post-secondary education. Some on the job training may be provided. With additional training or experience, you may be able to progress into higher level, supervisory or management positions.