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Plastics and Rubber Production Machine Operators

Plastics and Rubber Production Machine Operators operate machines to manufacture and finish plastic and rubber products.

ManufacturingANZSCO 7115
$1,708/wkMedian full-time pay
8,099People employed
+5% ▲Growth to 2035
94%Work full time
44Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7115.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

operating controls to regulate temperature, pressure, speed and flow of operationmeasuring and loading materials, items and ingredients for mixing into machines and feeding mechanismsmonitoring operation, regulating material supply and adding chemicals and colorants to mixturethreading uncoated wire and cable through plastic coating machines, around take-up reels and through dies and cooling chamberslaying casings, beads, ply and rubber sheets on mouldsoperating rollers to remove air
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 7115 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 400 more people in plastics and rubber production machine operators by 2035 ▲

The field grew 3.4% in the year to February 2026, adding about 300 workers. Most of the jobs are in VIC and NSW, with WA third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7115.More about our sources: How we check our facts
7.3k2025
7.4k2030 PROJ.
7.7k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

There is no single way in. 34% trained through VET, 6% hold a degree.

Both paths are common in this field. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 7115. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

PMB30121Certificate III

Certificate III in Polymer Processing

Plastics, Rubber and Cablemaking.

See 10 providers
PMB20121Certificate II

Certificate II in Polymer Processing

Plastics, Rubber and Cablemaking.

See 2 providers

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

8,099 Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 7115.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

VIC3.2k
NSW2.9k
WA1.5k
QLD1.3k
SA0.7k
TAS0.1k
ACT0.1k
NT0.1k