First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
SOC Code: 51-1011
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers carries a 35% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $71,190 and +1.2% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 698,600 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 35% AI exposure, First-line supervisors of production and operating workers sits 2 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 46% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
53/100
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage B- $71,190
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F +1.2%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) C- 35% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with First-line supervisors of production and operating workers in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Slow growth (245 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where First-line supervisors of production and operating workers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where First-line supervisors of production and operating workers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
35% Lower than most lower than 54% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 51-1011) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets First-line supervisors of production and operating workers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes First-line supervisors of production and operating workers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
- 2. Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
- 3. Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
- 4. Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
- 5. Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
- 6. Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
- 7. Interpret specifications, blueprints, job orders, and company policies and procedures for workers.
- 8. Observe work and monitor gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that operators conform to production or processing standards.
- 9. Direct and coordinate the activities of employees engaged in the production or processing of goods, such as inspectors, machine setters, or fabricators.
- 10. Conduct employee training in equipment operations or work and safety procedures, or assign employee training to experienced workers.
Key Skills Required
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Time Management
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge Areas
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Mechanical
- Education and Training
- Engineering and Technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace First-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers has an AI exposure score of 35%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, First-line supervisors of production and operating workers is projected to grow by 1.2% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 698,600 workers.
What skills are needed for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
Key skills for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers include Active Listening, Speaking, Time Management, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do First-line supervisors of production and operating workers earn?
The median annual wage for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers is $71,190, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
The typical entry-level education for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect Less than 5 years of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ First-line supervisors of production and operating workers?
First-line supervisors of production and operating workers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for First-line supervisors of production and operating workers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (35% here).
- Actuaries · AI exposure 35%
- Automotive and watercraft service attendants · AI exposure 35%
- Chemical technicians · AI exposure 35%
- Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders · AI exposure 35%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+1.2% here).
- Air traffic controllers · growth +1.2%
- Biological scientists, all other · growth +1.2%
- Camera operators, television, video, and film · growth +1.2%
- Economists · growth +1.2%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 81 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use First-line supervisors of production and operating workers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare First-line supervisors of production and operating workers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).