National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

9 - Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

This category contains supervisory, production and labouring occupations in manufacturing, processing and utilities.

Occupations in this category are characterized by either technical training or internal progression, and on-the-job training. Process control occupations in this category are increasingly technical and post-secondary training is usually required. For many occupations in this category, workers typically start out as labourers and progress to machine operation occupations through experience. Progression to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Mobility in some of these occupations may be limited by seniority provisions of collective agreements, or may require additional training.

96 - Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities

This major group comprises labourers in manufacturing and utilities occupations which may require some secondary school education or completion of secondary school. It includes labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities.

961 - Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities

This minor group includes labourers in mineral and metal processing; labourers in metal fabrication; labourers in chemical products processing and utilities; labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing; labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing; labourers in textile processing; labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing; labourers in fish and seafood processing; and other labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities. They are employed by mineral ore and metal processing plants, cement processing plants, clay, glass and stone processing plants and foundries; structural steel, boiler and platework fabrication plants, heavy machinery manufacturing plants, sheet metal fabrication shops, shipbuilding and other metal products manufacturing companies; petroleum and natural gas processing, pipeline and petrochemical, chemical and pharmaceutical companies; electrical, water and waste treatment utilities and services; pulp and paper, and paper converting companies, sawmills, planing mills, wood treatment plants, waferboard plants and other wood processing companies; rubber and plastic products manufacturing companies; textile manufacturing companies; fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and other food, beverage and associated products processing and packaging plants; fish and seafood processing and packaging plants; companies that manufacture other products; and printing and packaging companies.

9617 - Labourers in food and beverage processing

Labourers in food and beverage processing perform material handling, clean-up, packaging and other elemental activities related to food and beverage processing. They are employed in fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and other food and beverage processing and packaging plants.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • bottle-washing machine tender - food and beverage processing
  • brewery labourer
  • candy packer
  • dairy helper - food and beverage processing
  • food processing labourer
  • frozen food packer
  • meat packager
  • nut sorter - food and beverage processing
  • production helper - food and beverage processing
  • tobacco processing labourer

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Grain sampler - food and beverage processing (See 9465 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing)
  • Labourers in fish and seafood processing (See 9618 Labourers in fish and seafood processing)
  • Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing (See 9461 Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing)
  • Supervisors, food and beverage processing (See 9213 Supervisors, food and beverage processing)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Transport raw materials, finished products and packaging materials throughout plant and warehouse manually, or with powered equipment
  • Measure and dump ingredients into hoppers of mixing and grinding machines or mobile tank trucks
  • Feed and unload food and beverage processing machines
  • Feed flattened boxes into forming machines to construct containers
  • Remove filled containers from conveyors and manually pack goods into bags, boxes or other containers
  • Clean work areas and equipment
  • Check products and packaging for basic quality defects
  • Assist process control and machine operators in performing their duties.

• Employment requirements

  • Some secondary school education may be required.

• Additional information

  • There is some mobility among occupations in this unit group.
  • Labourers in food and beverage processing may progress to machine or process operating positions with experience.