Conveyor tenders work at factories which utilize a high degree of automatization in their operations, but still require manual labor to adjust and control their conveyor belts. The conveyor tender’s duties can vary greatly depending on the specific type of production the factory specializes in, but in most cases one would be tasked with loading/unloading the conveyor belts, monitoring their speed and other indicators, operate any auxiliary systems connected to the conveyor belts, such as elevators and gate mechanisms, and remove defective packages from the line to prevent any obstructions.
Becoming a conveyor tender doesn’t hold any special educational requirements, and a high school degree would suffice most candidates. Having prior working experience in a factory environment, and good knowledge of factory operations, is of huge benefit to candidates in most cases, as well is general knowledge of machines and heavy equipment. The job can sometimes require a high degree of manual labor from employees, when conveyors are used to transport heavy items – in these cases, candidates need to display good physical fitness as well.
The job of a conveyor tender is more or less monotonous labor without any specialized skill requirements, and thus doesn’t tend to be paid very highly. On average, conveyor tenders earned $37,000 in 2009. Some high-end factories pay their employees noticeably better, and additionally one can expect a generally higher salary if they find employment in a smaller factory with fewer employees (as jobs at these factories usually involve handling a lot more work than usual).