What Does A Glass Blower Do (including Their Typical Day at Work)

Stan T.Career, Overview

Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Glass Blowers

Glass Blowers shape molten glass according to patterns.

Salary
$37370
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality


What they do

Glass Blowers shape molten glass according to patterns.

  • Place glass into dies or molds of presses and control presses to form products, such as glassware components or optical blanks.
  • Spray or swab molds with oil solutions to prevent adhesion of glass.
  • Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
  • Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Glass Blowers blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes. They spray or swab molds with oil solutions to prevent adhesion of glass.

A typical day for a Glass Blower will also include:

  • Place glass into dies or molds of presses and control presses to form products, such as glassware components or optical blanks.
  • Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
  • Design and create glass objects, using blowpipes and artisans’ hand tools and equipment.
  • Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.
  • Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Glass Blowers also repair broken scrolls by replacing them with new sections of tubing. They may also cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Glass Blowers superimpose bent tubing on asbestos patterns to ensure accuracy. They might also determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.

In addition, they operate and maintain finishing machines to grind, drill, sand, bevel, decorate, wash, or polish glass or glass products.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.

To some Glass Blowers, it is also their responsibility to place rubber hoses on ends of tubing and charge tubing with gas.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.

It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.

Cons

Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

How much do they make

Average salary

$37370 per year

Average hourly wage

$18 per hour

Entry-level Glass Blowers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $25,490 to $29,190 per year or $12 to $14 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $53,290 $26
Senior (Top 25%) $43,710 $21
Median $35,440 $17
Junior (Bottom 25%) $29,190 $14
No experience (Bottom 10%) $25,490 $12

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Glass Blowers based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Federal Executive Branch $55770 $26.81
Scientific Research and Development Services $53240 $25.60
Specialized Design Services $51610 $24.81
Management of Companies and Enterprises $45050 $21.66
Other Specialty Trade Contractors $43170 $20.75
Home Furnishings Stores $42210 $20.29
Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores $41780 $20.08
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing $41760 $20.08
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing $41080 $19.75
Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing $40960 $19.69

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Glass Blowers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Glass Blowers including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 23460 $37460 $18.01
Building Finishing Contractors 2680 $39370 $18.93
Employment Services 2140 $31430 $15.11
Plastics Product Manufacturing 1930 $34720 $16.69
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 1890 $36200 $17.41
Rubber Product Manufacturing 1600 $38160 $18.35
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 1180 $37130 $17.85
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 880 $39670 $19.07
Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers 730 $39490 $18.98
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing 520 $39860 $19.16

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
1%

40 hours
57%

More than 40 hours
42%

Working schedule

99%

1%

1%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
1%

Every day
24%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
6%

Every day
25%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
36%

Every day
50%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
85%

Once a year
1%

Once a month
13%

Once a week
0%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
24%

Slightly competitive
26%

Moderately competitive
26%

Highly competitive
23%

Extremely competitive
1%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
57%

Once a year or more
3%

Once a month or more
3%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
38%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
25%

Once a year or more
12%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
60%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
92%

Once a year or more
4%

Once a month or more
1%

Once a week or more
3%

Every day
0%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
94%

Once a year or more
3%

Once a month or more
3%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
1%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
43%

High School Diploma or equivalent
34%

Post-Secondary Certificate
20%

Some College Courses
2%

Associate’s Degree or similar
1%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

No majors found

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
21%

1 month
0%

1 to 3 months
0%

3 to 6 months
15%

6 months to 1 year
5%

1 to 2 years
4%

2 to 4 years
22%

4 to 6 years
2%

6 to 8 years
1%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
30%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
21%

1 month
4%

1 to 3 months
2%

3 to 6 months
16%

6 months to 1 year
6%

1 to 2 years
17%

2 to 4 years
16%

4 to 10 years
16%

Over 10 years
1%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
95%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
43%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
62%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
14%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
29%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
71%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
52%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
40%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
38%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
76%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
76%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
62%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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