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Electrical equipment manufacturing
GE Vernova, Siemens, Schneider Electric
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
These workers make and finish wire coils used in parts like transformers, generators, resistors, and other electrical equipment. The work is hands-on and detail-heavy: you run winding machines, trim and attach wire by hand, and check each piece against the work order. The tradeoff is that the job is accessible and concrete, but it can be repetitive and the long-term outlook is weak.
Also known as Coil WinderCoil Winding Machine OperatorWinding OperatorCoil AssemblerCoil Finisher
Median Salary
$47,260
Mean $48,940
U.S. Workforce
~12K
1.2K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+-6.3%
12.2K to 11.5K
Entry Education
High school diploma or equivalent
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers sits in the Manufacturing category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~12K workers, with a median annual pay of $47,260 and roughly 1.2K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to decline from 12.2 K in 2024 to 11.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with High school diploma or equivalent, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Manufacturing Helper and can progress toward Production Lead. High-value skills usually include Monitoring & Quality Checks, Operations Monitoring, and Operation and Control of Coiling Machines, paired with soft skills such as Attention to detail, Active listening, and Clear communication.
Core Responsibilities
- Load the right wire, insulation, and parts onto the equipment before starting a run.
- Run coil-winding machines to wrap wire into parts used in electrical components and equipment.
- Trim, strip, bend, and attach the wire ends by hand with pliers and scrapers.
- Stop the machine, remove the finished pieces, and check them for obvious defects.
Keep exploring: more Manufacturing careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Load the right wire, insulation, and parts onto the equipment before starting a run.
02 Run coil-winding machines to wrap wire into parts used in electrical components and equipment.
03 Trim, strip, bend, and attach the wire ends by hand with pliers and scrapers.
04 Stop the machine, remove the finished pieces, and check them for obvious defects.
05 Brush on coatings or paint, then bake the finished components as required.
06 Read work orders and record production details on the proper forms.
Industries That Hire
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Industrial machinery manufacturing
ABB, Rockwell Automation, Emerson
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Automotive parts manufacturing
Bosch, Aptiv, BorgWarner
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Aerospace and defense manufacturing
RTX, Honeywell, Collins Aerospace
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Appliance manufacturing
Whirlpool, GE Appliances, Electrolux
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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You can get started with a high school diploma or equivalent, and no prior work experience is required.
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The training path is relatively short: moderate-term on-the-job training is enough for many workers to become productive.
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Pay is decent for a hands-on production job, with median annual earnings of $47,260 and mean pay of $48,940.
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There are still about 1.2 thousand annual openings, which gives steady replacement demand even in a shrinking field.
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The work is tangible and easy to see when it goes well: you can check a finished coil, inspect it, and know right away whether it passed.
Challenges
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The outlook is not strong: employment is projected to fall 6.3% from about 12.2 thousand jobs to 11.5 thousand by 2034.
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A lot of the work is repetitive and precision-based, so the job can become monotonous and unforgiving if you lose focus.
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Automation and factory consolidation can reduce demand for this kind of manual coil work over time, which is a structural risk.
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There is a fairly low career ceiling unless you move into setup, supervision, or another manufacturing specialty.
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The work often means standing for long periods, handling small parts, and using your hands repeatedly, which can wear you down physically.
Career Progression
Manufacturing Helper
0-1 years
$30K-$38K
You learn the shop layout, move materials, and help prepare parts and machines for coil production.
Coil Winder, Taper, and Finisher
1-4 years
$43K-$52K
You run winding equipment, finish wire ends by hand, and keep production moving while meeting tight specifications.
Senior Coil Winder THIS ROLE
4-7 years
$53K-$63K
You handle trickier setups, check quality more closely, and help newer workers avoid costly mistakes.
Production Lead
7+ years
$64K-$76K
You coordinate daily output, troubleshoot machine issues, and keep the line on schedule.
Education Paths
High school diploma or equivalent
This is the most common entry point, held by 57.18% of workers in this occupation.
Postsecondary certificate in manufacturing or electronics
A post-secondary certificate is also a common route, held by 40.87% of workers in this occupation.
Employer training or apprenticeship
Moderate-term on-the-job training can get you started if you are comfortable with repetitive machine work and careful hand finishing.
Less than a high school diploma
Only 1.64% of workers report this level of education, so it is uncommon and usually not enough on its own without strong shop-floor training.
Key Skills
Technical
Monitoring & Quality Checks 62%
Operations Monitoring 62%
Operation and Control of Coiling Machines 60%
Reading Work Orders & Specifications 58%
Hand Tools, Pliers, Wire Strippers & Scrapers 57%
Production Logs, Forms & Basic Data Entry 56%
Soft Skills
Attention to detailActive listeningClear communicationTeam coordinationCritical thinkingReading comprehension Job Outlook and Trends
+-6.3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
1.2K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 12.2K to 11.5 K over the next decade, representing -6.3% growth. Around 1.2 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.