Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
Production
Glass is heated in gas flames or ovens until it is pliable enough to shape, and it is rotated so the heat stays even before it is formed to a pattern. After that, each piece is inspected, weighed, and measured with micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers. Quantities, sizes, and types of goods produced are written down for the record. The heat and the timing matter as much as the final form. People who like judging when material is ready and checking results against a standard tend to fit this work.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$46'170
Median Wage Market Position
$46'170
What you might do
- Heat glass in a gas flame or oven
- Turn the glass so it softens evenly
- Shape the soft glass to match a pattern
- Measure pieces with calipers or micrometers
- Weigh and inspect finished glass for flaws
- Write down sizes and counts of pieces made
Skills that matter
- Watching glass until it turns pliable
- Rotating glass so heat stays even
- Measuring pieces with calipers or micrometers
- Recording quantities, sizes, and types
- Pattern reading before a piece is shaped
- Learning new ways to form a shape
AI & the future of this role
Working molten glass demands real-time heat judgment, timing, and hand skill that machines struggle to match on varied pieces. Design tools might streamline patterns and molds, but blowing, bending, and finishing still rely on people in the hot shop.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details