Plan, explore, and apply to college using these great tools.
Career Details :: Potters
Description
Mold clay into ware as clay revolves on potter's wheel.
Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Tasks
- Pulls wire through base of article and wheel to separate finished piece.
- Moves piece from wheel to dry.
- Positions ball of clay in center of potters wheel.
- Verifies size and form, using calipers and templates.
- Raises and shapes clay into ware, such as vases, saggers, and pitchers, on revolving wheel, using hands, fingers, and thumbs.
- Starts motor or pumps treadle with foot to revolve wheel.
- Smoothes surfaces of finished piece, using rubber scrapers and wet sponge.
- Adjusts speed of wheel according to feel of changing firmness of clay.
Related Careers
- Bench Workers, Jewelry
- Camera Operators
- Engravers, Hand
- Etchers
- Platemakers
- Precision Etchers and Engravers, Hand or Machine
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Thinking Creatively
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
- Making Repetitive Motions
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
- Indoors
- Sitting
Related Majors
| Major (A) Associate (B) Bachelors (C) Certificate (D) Doctor (M) Master | Add to XapPack |
|---|---|
| Artisanry (M) |  [ add ] |
| Crafts (M) | [ add ] |
| Crafts (B) | [ add ] |
| Crafts/Folk Art (B) | [ add ] |
| Crafts/Folk Art/Artisanry (B) | [ add ] |
| Crafts/Folk Art/Artisanry (M) | [ add ] |
| Fine Arts/Crafts (B) | [ add ] |
Institutions Offering Related Majors
| College | Key Facts | Add to XapPack |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Creative Studies - College of Art and Design |  [ view ] | [ add ] |
| CSU Fullerton | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Hampshire College | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Haywood Community College | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Kent State University - Kent | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Lees-McRae College | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Sam Houston State University | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| University of Illinois - Urbana | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| University of the Arts | [ view ] | [ add ] |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | [ view ] | [ add ] |