NEXT PROS: Kourtney Jackson, Operator/Operating Technician
By Arkansas Next staff on Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Kourtney Jackson
High school: Cabot High School | Age: 28 | Where I trained: L’Oreal Maybelline Co. | What I earned: On-the-job training | Job title: Packaging Operator II | Employer: L’Oreal Maybelline Co. in North Little Rock
What does an operating technician do?
Operators or operating technicians, specifically chemical plant operators, operate equipment in a chemical processing facility. They maintain and inspect the equipment as well as the products to ensure the plant is running efficiently and meeting safety standards.
“The kind of skills that I think are important for someone interested in becoming an operator or technician are to be self-motivated, competitive, able to work well with a team and at least a willingness to learn mechanical skills if not mechanically inclined already.” – Kourtney
Responsibilities
• Maintain work equipment or machinery.
• Repair worn, damaged or defective mechanical parts.
• Replace worn, damaged or defective mechanical parts.
• Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
• Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Observe equipment in operation to detect potential problems.
Job Outlook
30
Average annual job openings in Arkansas.
330
Jobs in Arkansas by 2026.
Upward Mobility
"While I love being a line operator, if I decide to move up, there are many positions over the one I hold now that don’t require more than the experience that I’ve gotten in the job I work now and some more on-the-job training." – Kourtney
This option is for you if:
√ You are comfortable with digital media.
√ You have effective communication skills.
√ You are a natural-born problem solver.
√ You’re not a desk person.
√ You like having a lot of job options.
High-end earners (top 10%) make
$83,380
Median wages in Arkansas
$47,960 Annual
$23.06 Hourly
START YOUR TRAINING
READY TO HIRE YOU
| ABB Motors & Mechanical Inc. |
| Arkansas Electric Cooperatives |
| Cargill |
| CenterPoint Energy |
| L'Oreal Maybelline Co. |
| Lexicon Inc. |
| McKee Foods Corporation |
| Pace Industries |
| Simmons Foods, Inc. & Affiliates |
| Tyson Foods |
| Wabash National |
Source: CareerOneStop.org
