How to become a Clay Products Machine Operator
Operates machines to manufacture clay products such as bricks, tiles, insulators, porcelain and pottery by shaping and firing clay.
Main tasks
- Sets up and prepares machines for clay product manufacturing
- Operates and controls clay processing machinery, including extruders, moulds, kilns and drying equipment
- Inspects clay products for defects and quality control
- Loads raw clay materials into machines and feeds them through production
- Mixes clay and other materials according to specified formulas
- Assists in the development and testing of new clay product designs
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate III in Manufactured Mineral Products (MSM30318)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $89,232 a year
- About 2,500 people work in this job group now, and about 2,700 are projected by 2035. (+6%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Related jobs
- Chemical Production Machine Operator
- Concrete Products Machine Operator
- Crushing Machine Operator
- Glass Production Machine Operator
- Photographic Print Processor
- Sterilisation Technician
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Clay Products Machine Operator?
Ways in include: Certificate III in Manufactured Mineral Products.
How much does a Clay Products Machine Operator earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $89,232 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Clay Products Machine Operator a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 2,500 to about 2,700 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Clay Products Machine Operator?
Usually not. Only 6% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate III in Manufactured Mineral Products.
Will AI change the work of a Clay Products Machine Operator?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04