Coremaker Job Description, Career as a Coremaker, Salary, Employment

Education and Training: High school diploma in science-related subjects

Salary Median: $28,700 per year

Employment Outlook: Fair

Coremakers are responsible for making sand or wax molds, or cores, that are used in foundries for the production of metal castings. They use different casting and molding methods to create cores in various shapes and sizes. Coremakers are an integral part of the foundry industry, and they work together with molders and patternmakers to create complete metal castings for things ranging from car components and industrial machinery to church bells and ships’ propellers.

The job of coremakers involves cleaning core boxes with compressed air, and then dusting away the particles to remove the finished core. They may use a shovel or their hands to partially fill the core box with sand, which is then compacted made into a core. Coremakers also check for cracks and chipped places, smooth the core surface, bake cores, and assemble them.

There are a couple of areas of specialization in this profession. For instance, a bench coremaker is one who works at benchmaking small cores, while a floor coremaker is responsible for creating larger cores in the foundry.

Education and Training Requirements

There are no specific educational requirements for entry into this profession. In most cases, a high school diploma is sufficient, if the person interested in becoming a coremaker has focused on mathematics, science, business, industrial engineering, or mechanical drawing.

Coremakers need to attend formal training courses prior to taking full-time positions. A number of three-to-four-year apprenticeship programs are available, and lot of employers offer unpaid internships as well. These apprenticeships are not available to those under eighteen years of age.

Getting the Job

Coremakers should ideally opt for a formal apprenticeship program. Internships, community service, and volunteer work also provide the opportunity of getting hands-on experience, which can prove useful later on. Interested candidates can apply directly to employers. Local unions representing coremakers also provide information on job openings in the coremaking industry. Additionally, one looking for coremaker work can look up advertisements in newspapers and search job portals on the Internet for employment news.

Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook

With experience, coremakers can advance to supervisory positions, like that of group leader or casting inspector. Skilled professionals can also be promoted to higher classifications.

Job opportunities for coremakers are expected to grow at a slower-than-average rate. This limited growth is due to the increasing use of automated equipment in the industry. Moreover, downturns in the economy are likely to have an adverse effect on the job market for coremakers.

Working Conditions

Working conditions for coremakers are much the same as that of workers in other factories and plants. They work regular 40-hour weeks involving daily shifts of eight hours. Since they have to work with powerful machinery, molten metal, and heavy cores, coremakers are exposed to hazardous physical conditions. They may also have to work in surroundings that are noisy, hot, and dusty. Due to the nature of the job, coremakers need to wear protective clothing, and they should be extremely careful about following safety procedures.

Where to Go for More Information

American Foundrymen’s Society
1695 N. Penny Ln.
Schaumburg, IL 60173
http://www.afsinc.org/

Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union
P.O. Box 607
608 E. Baltimore Pike
Media, PA 19063-0607
http://www.gmpiu.org/

Salary, Earnings and Benefits

The average annual salary of coremakers in the United States is $28,700. Wages are often paid on an hourly basis. For entry-level positions, the median hourly wage is $9.32, while those with experience earn around $20.49 per hour. Coremakers working evening or night shifts may get paid an extra two to ten percent of their regular wages.

Coremakers enjoy fringe benefits like sick leaves, paid holidays, health and life insurance, and pension plans. Some may even be entitled to optical or dental benefits.