Oct 10 (edited) • General discussion
From Operator to Six Figures: How Machinists and CNC Programmers Win Today
Why Listen to Me
The first time I ever walked into a machine shop was during my interview for a “preset operator” job. I had no idea what that even meant—or what a CNC machine was. My father-in-law, who worked there doing planning and quoting, told me to just talk to the floor manager and see what happened.
My first step into this world was pure luck. I didn’t know if it would be a good fit until years later.
During the interview, the floor manager, Tom, asked, “Do you know what we do here?” When I said no, he asked, “Do you ever see something made of metal and wonder where it came from?”
I told him, “They don’t just grow on trees?”He laughed—and that’s probably what got me the job.
I started nearly two decades ago at $10 an hour presetting tools. (Well… that was the title. In reality, I spent the first three months sweeping floors and shoveling chips.) No degree. No plan.
Fast-forward to today: I’ve consistently cleared six figures for the past five years, and the last two have been multiple six figures. All from working smart and hard, stacking skills that complement one another—and most importantly, solving problems.
The Mindset Shift
Entry-level is a starting point, not a destination.
I once worked with someone who told me, “I’ve been doing this for 15 years; I know how this is done.”I had to tell him the truth: “No, you have one year of experience—fifteen times.”
That attitude—the “you can’t tell me anything” mindset—is poison. Avoid those people. They’ll never grow, and eventually, they’ll get replaced.
The more skills you own, the more valuable you are. Knowledge is the one thing no company can take from you.
What “Valuable” Really Looks Like
If you want to build a truly valuable career in manufacturing, think of your skillset as a stack—not a ladder. You don’t climb it one step at a time; you build it outward, adding layers of understanding and capability that reinforce each other.
It all begins with an open mind. That’s the real foundation. The most successful machinists I’ve met never stop learning. They approach every new challenge—new materials, new machines, new software—with curiosity instead of fear. Once you learn how to learn, you’ll never get left behind.
From there, you move into the technical foundations: running machines, performing setups, understanding speeds, feeds, and material behavior. These aren’t just mechanical tasks—they’re lessons in how the machine thinks, how the cutter reacts, and what precision feels like.
Then comes advanced machining knowledge. Learn G-code. Understand why operations are sequenced the way they are. Study fixturing and workholding. These skills make you faster, safer, and more efficient—turning you from a good operator into a true process thinker.
Next is the digital layer—programming, macros, probing, simulation, and verification. This is where the physical and digital worlds meet. When you can simulate a part before cutting it, you stop reacting to problems and start engineering solutions.
Beyond that is system integration and process control. You’ll learn how data, automation, and standardization connect everything in the shop—from tool management and revision control to LEAN workflows and ERP systems. This is where you start thinking like a manufacturing engineer, even if your title doesn’t say so.
And at the top sits leadership and continuous improvement. You begin teaching others, optimizing systems, and leading initiatives that make the entire shop better. LEAN manufacturing, documentation, and mentoring become extensions of your technical skill.
Each of these layers feeds into the others. You don’t need to master one before moving to the next. You’ll jump around, revisit lessons, and constantly evolve. Over time, you’ll see the big picture: a high-level manufacturer isn’t just a machinist, programmer, or operator. They’re a problem-solver—capable of connecting every part of the process from concept to completion.
How to Sell Yourself Without Saying a Word
Someone once told me, “We're all whores, We all trade our bodies and time for money"
For years, I made the same mistake a lot of machinists make: I thought hard work spoke for itself. I believed that if I just showed up, ran the machines, and pushed for better results, someone would notice.
Sometimes they did. Most times, they didn’t.
The truth is, shops are busy. Your boss might walk by your machine and see a perfect part without realizing you just cut the cycle time by 20% or designed a fixture that saved three hours of setup. If you don’t document your wins, they disappear into the noise of daily production.
That’s when I started keeping a Win Log. Nothing fancy—just a notebook at first, then a spreadsheet. Every time I improved something, I wrote it down:
“Reduced setup time from 90 minutes to 45 by standardizing tools and adding a probing macro.”
“Improved first-article success rate by fixing a post error and automating cutter comp logic.”
“Saved $6,800 per year in machine time through optimized roughing toolpaths.”
That log became my secret weapon.
When review time came around, I didn’t say I’m good at what I do—I showed it. Hard numbers. Before-and-after data. Measurable impact. Those entries justified raises, promotions, and new opportunities.
That’s how you sell yourself in manufacturing. Not by bragging—but by backing up your work with proof.
When you can show that your work makes the company more efficient and profitable, you shift from being an employee to being an asset. Raises stop being a request—they become a logical conclusion.
And the best part? Tracking your wins does more than prove your value—it helps you see it. You start recognizing patterns in your growth, spotting where you excel, and finding new areas to improve.
If you’re not measuring your success, you’re leaving your story untold. And in this industry, stories backed by data are what get rewarded.
9 Moves to Make Yourself Invaluable
1. Work smart and hard. SHOW UP DAILY. Be punctual. Own mistakes. Improve weekly. There’s no shortcut for this.
2. Be a teammate, not a silo. Share what you know, ask what you don’t. Teams that trade knowledge win more jobs—and recognition.
3. Master your control. Know your G/M codes cold. Keep the manuals handy. Use downtime to learn.
4. Learn Macro B. Variables, logic, loops, alarms, automation—this turns you from button-pusher to problem-solver.
5. Commit to lifelong learning. Courses, demos, trade mags, forums. Knowledge is cheap—initiative is rare.
6. Know and communicate your value. Bring your Win Log. Show before/after, % change, $ saved. Ask for the next step. If none exists, find a place that values impact.
7. Be loyal, not feudal. Work with integrity, but don’t confuse loyalty with stagnation. Don’t burn bridges; bring receipts.
8. Add software to your toolbox. SQL, .NET, C#, XML, scripting—these power data capture, automation, and integration. This is where wage growth accelerates.
9. Simulate and verify—always. Offline verification reduces errors, builds confidence, and protects spindles. It’s cheaper than crashes—and crucial for competitiveness.
Be Loyal, But Don’t Be a Servant
Work with integrity. Be dependable. But don’t stay loyal to a company that won’t invest in your growth. If you’re hitting walls—if the answer to “what’s next for me?” keeps being “nothing”—it’s okay to move on.
Loyalty should go both ways. And when it doesn’t, your skills, your documentation, and your reputation will carry you further than you imagine.
The Bottom Line
The global manufacturing game is only getting tougher—and that’s good news for those who embrace it.
If you:
- Keep learning,
- Track your impact,
- Communicate your results, and
- Never stop improving—
Then the raises, the opportunities, and the respect will chase you.
You don’t have to wait for someone to see your potential. You can show it—one improvement, one metric, one problem solved at a time.
Because the path from operator to six figures isn’t luck. It's craftsmanship—multiplied by curiosity, and proven through results.
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From Operator to Six Figures: How Machinists and CNC Programmers Win Today
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