Every day, people use objects made of materials like wood, metal, or plastic. If you ever wonder how these objects are made, you might want to consider becoming a computer numerical control (CNC) programmer. These people help other workers in the trades to produce the parts that they need to complete their tasks.

In the past, people made metal or wood pieces by hand, carving or filing them until they were the right size and shape for the purpose. However, that can take a very long time and become expensive. Machines now do a lot of the work, but they still need people to check the blueprints, make the calculations, and program the right instructions into the machines.

For example, suppose that you wanted to make a metal cabinet. If you did that by hand, you would need to measure each part and calculate how big it would need to be for the size of cabinet you wanted.  Then you would have to use saws and files to cut each piece to the right size and then to smooth the edges so that the customers who buy it would not injure themselves on it. That process might work with making one or two cabinets, but if you want to make many more than that, you would need someone to program a machine to make hundreds or thousands of the pieces. For that, you would need a computer numerical controller.

People in this field can sometimes find work with a high school diploma, but it is a good idea to get a degree, or at least a certificate or associate degree in engineering or a related field. The main requirements for the job are to be able to read blueprints and to interpret and translate them into computer coding. Many universities, career colleges, or trade schools might have courses that are useful for this career, and it is a good idea to ask various employers what they require before deciding on post-secondary education.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) programmers can do most of their calculations sitting at desks in their offices, but they normally also need to program the machines and to check to make sure that everything is right. If there are problems, the programmer needs to find the mistakes and correct them. Attention to detail is very important because even a small error can mean that two parts might not fit together. Sometimes, people in this job might need to lift heavy objects, and they should be able to stand for long periods of time.

Wages in this job begin at about $16.50 and can rise to $30 .65 per hour with experience. Computer Numerical Control Programmers can work in almost any city or town where machines or other metal parts are made. Some people might even find their training useful for working with special items like ornaments or even children’s toys. Although the work is not as physically demanding as many factory jobs, it can become difficult later in life, and some people might decide to move to something else after fifteen or twenty years.

The calculations that a computer numerical controller makes are very important. If you like numbers and computers, this might be the right job for you.

Bibliography:

Glassdoor. “Average Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Programmer Hourly Pay in Canada.” https://www.glassdoor.com/Job-Descriptions/CNC-Programmer.htm.

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. “Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Certificate.” https://www.nait.ca/coned/cnc-certificate.

Owl Guru. “Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic.” https://www.owlguru.com/career/computer-numerically-controlled-machine-tool-programmers-metal-and-plastic/job-description/.

Payscale.com. “Computer Numerically Controlled Programmer (CNC) Hourly Rate.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Computer_Numerically_Controlled_(CNC)_Programmer/Hourly_Rate.