Occupation information for Potters, Manufacturing District Of Columbia

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Typical education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent

Typical work experience needed for a job in this occupation: No work experience

Typical on-the-job training once you have a job in this occupation: More than 1 year on-the-job training

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• Operate gas or electric kilns to fire pottery pieces.
• Start machine units and conveyors and observe lights and gauges on panel board to verify operational efficiency.
• Mix and apply glazes to pottery pieces, using tools, such as spray guns.
• Raise and shape clay into wares, such as vases and pitchers, on revolving wheels, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
• Adjust wheel speeds according to the feel of the clay as pieces enlarge and walls become thinner.
• Position balls of clay in centers of potters' wheels, and start motors or pump treadles with feet to revolve wheels.
• Move pieces from wheels so that they can dry.
• Prepare work for sale or exhibition, and maintain relationships with retail, pottery, art, and resource networks that can facilitate sale or exhibition of work.
• Attach handles to pottery pieces.
• Press thumbs into centers of revolving clay to form hollows, and press on the inside and outside of emerging clay cylinders with hands and fingers, gradually raising and shaping clay to desired forms and sizes.

Tools:

• Clay or modeling tools
• Extruders for modeling materials
• Kilns for firing ceramics
• Potters wheels for hand made ceramics
• Protective gloves

Technology:

• Electronic mail software
• Inventory management software
• Spreadsheet software

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