9421-NOC

Chemical plant machine operators

(NOC 94110)
Annual Earnings
$37,541
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
High School Diploma
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
110

Career Overview

Chemical plant machine operators:

  • Monitor and operate units and machinery to blend, mix, process and package a wide range of specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cleaning and toiletry products
  • Work mainly in chemical, cleaning compound, ink and adhesive industries
  • May also be employed by chemical processing departments in other industries

 

Duties

Chemical plant machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Monitor meters, gauges and electronic instrumentation on one or more chemical or formulation units, such as mixers, kettles, blenders, dryers, tabletting, encapsulation, granulation and coating machines
  • Measure, weigh and load chemical ingredients following formulation cards
  • Start up, shut down, troubleshoot and clean equipment
  • Adjust processing machines and equipment
  • Monitor reaction processes and transfers of products in conformance with safety procedures
  • Take samples and perform routine chemical and physical tests of products
  • Record production data
  • May operate equipment from a control room or from control consoles located near the production units

 

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$37,541

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$26.00/hr
Median$18.00/hr
Low$16.75/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

405

% Employed Full Time

54%
Source: 2021 Census

Key aspects of the work in this occupation:

  • Work takes place in a regular controlled indoor environment
  • The workplace may contain hazardous chemicals
  • Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
  • The workplace may contain strong or toxic odours
  • Noise in the workplace may cause distraction or hearing loss
  • Personal protective equipment may be needed when working with some types of chemicals or pharmaceuticals

 

Career Pathways

Movement between employers producing similar products is possible for some of the more skilled operators in this group. Progression to supervisory positions or to process control occupations is possible with experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Batch mixer - chemical processing
Blender operator - chemical processing
Capsule machine operator - chemical processing
Evaporator operator - chemical processing
Formulations blender operator - chemical processing
Glue blender - chemical processing
Granulator machine operator - chemical processing
Mixer - chemical processing
Screener - chemical processing
Soap maker

Education, Training and Skills

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required
  • Completion of several months to one year of informal, on-the-job training within the company is required for most mixer and blender operators
  • Completion of more than one year of formal and informal company training may be required for some operators working in pharmaceutical, explosives and agricultural chemical or in specialty chemical plants
  • Previous experience in chemical products processing as an assistant, labourer or helper may be required for some occupations in this unit group
  • Certification in the transportation of dangerous goods (TDG), first aid, firefighting or workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) may be required for some occupations in this unit group

 

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Academic/Basic Upgrading
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

69%
Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

68%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

61%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

56%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

53%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

52%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

52%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

52%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

51%
Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

51%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

405
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 10 2.5%
Kootenay 15 3.8%
Mainland/Southwest 240 60.0%
North Coast and Nechako 10 2.5%
Northeast 35 8.8%
Thompson-Okanagan 65 16.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast 30 7.5%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

110
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo Not available Not available
Kootenay Not available Not available
Mainland/Southwest 80 0.5%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast 0 0.3%
Thompson-Okanagan 20 0.9%
Vancouver Island/Coast 0 0.2%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Manufacturing60
Retail Trade20
Wholesale Trade20
Mining And Oil And Gas Extraction10
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services10
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.