Plastics Technicians

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for industrial engineering technicians who work in plastics product manufacturing will grow by 6.8 percent from 2023 through 2033. This is faster than the average for all careers. There will continue to be opportunities for plastics technicians because the field is so large and plastics are used in so many products. More industries are incorporating plastics into their product lines, which will create opportunities for qualified plastics technicians. As more plastics products are substituted for glass, paper, and metal products and parts, plastics technicians will be needed to assist engineers will with design and production processes. There will also be growth in the plastics industry due to the need for environmentally friendly products and processes, as well as easily recyclable products for certain industries.

Overall employment in manufacturing is expected to grow more slowly than the average during this time span. Most openings will result from the need to replace technicians who retire or leave the field for other reasons.