Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
SOC Code: 51-9151 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
Perform work involved in developing and processing photographic images from film or digital media. May perform precision tasks such as editing photographic negatives and prints.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Kingston, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Binghamton, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Syracuse, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Ithaca, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Elmira, NY | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
| Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $44,866 | $60,341 | $75,837 | $91,312 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 | |
| Active Listening | 3.4 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 | |
| Speaking | 3.2 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.2 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.2 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.9 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.7 |
| Production and Processing | 3.1 |
| English Language | 3.1 |
| Mechanical | 2.6 |
| Chemistry | 2.6 |
| Sales and Marketing | 2.5 |
| Education and Training | 2.3 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | 84.1% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 7.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.2% |
| Some college | 2.1% |
Typical Tasks
- Create prints according to customer specifications and laboratory protocols.
- Examine developed prints for defects, such as broken lines, spots, or blurs.
- Fill tanks of processing machines with solutions such as developer, dyes, stop-baths, fixers, bleaches, or washes.
- Insert processed negatives and prints into envelopes for delivery to customers.
- Load circuit boards, racks or rolls of film, negatives, or printing paper into processing or printing machines.
- Load digital images onto computers directly from cameras or from storage devices, such as flash memory cards or universal serial bus (USB) devices.
- Maintain records, such as quantities or types of processing completed, materials used, or customer charges.
- Measure and mix chemicals to prepare solutions for processing, according to formulas.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Amazon Web Services AWS software Cascading style sheets CSS Docker Git Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word MongoDB
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