Curing room worker

Description

Curing room workers assist in the blending, aging, and fermenting of tobacco strips and stems for the production of cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to curing room worker:

tobacco curing room workers
tobacco drying machine operator
curing room operative
tobacco curing room worker
curing room assistant
tobacco drier
tobacco roaster
tobacco curer
tobacco dryer
tobacco drier operator
tobacco drying worker
tobacco drying machine tender
curing room attendant

Minimum qualifications

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a curing room worker.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Curing room worker is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Curing room worker career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to curing room worker.

leaf tier
leaf sorter
cigarette making machine operator
cigar inspector
cigar brander

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of curing room worker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of curing room worker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
malt house supervisor
green coffee buyer
dairy processing technician

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of curing room worker.

  • History of tobacco: The different stages and developments of tobacco cultivation, cultural particularities and trading through time.
  • Quality prototype of a tobacco leaf: Characteristics and properties of a tobacco leaf to grade and consider it of high, medium, or low quality product taking into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and size of the leaf.
  • Curing methods for tobacco leaves: Processes which aim at eliminating the moisture of tobacco leaves and grant scent in order to prepare them for consumption.
  • Fermentation process of tobacco leaves: Process by which ammonia is released from the leaf. It can be done by raising the temperature and humidity, by heaping the tobacco into large piles or by using of a kiln. Under the raised temperature and humidity, enzymes in the leaf cause fermentation.
  • Manufacturing of smokeless tobacco products: The processes, materials, and techniques to manufacture different types of smokeless tobacco products such as chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, tobacco gum and snus.
  • Manufacturing of smoked tobacco products: The processes, materials, and techniques to manufacture different types of smoked tobacco products such as cigars, fine cut tobacco, pipe tobacco, and cigarettes.
  • Variety of tobacco leaves: Types of tobacco cultivars and varieties and their characteristics. Connection of attributes with cigar or cigarettes product requirements.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of curing room worker.

  • Cure tobacco leaves: Remove the moisture out of the tobacco leaves directly after harvesting them through various processes such as air curing, flue curing or sun curing.
  • Cut tobacco leaves: Cut leaves into fine strands using the adequate equipment before drying. Ensure that cutting sizes are according to requirements.
  • Perform stacking fermentation of tobacco leaves: Wrap large stacks of tobacco in burlap and allow them to “sweat”. The internal temperature is closely monitored. When it reaches 60 degrees Celsius, the stack is broken down to release tar, ammonia, and nicotine. Repeat the process until the stack no longer reaches 45 degrees Celsius. Strip the stems and stack them in a cooler place to age.
  • Perform different tobacco leaves curing methods: Perform different tobacco leaves curing methods such as air-curing tobacco, fire-cured tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, and sun-cured tobacco.
  • Dry tobacco leaves: Dry tobacco leaves to a precisely defined level of moisture according to product specifications.
  • Perform tobacco leaves conditioning: Process tobacco to ensure that it retains elasticity by passing it through a controlled environment at the right temperature and humidity levels.
  • Assess the colour curing of tobacco leaves: Assess colour curing of tobacco leaves to determine the stage of curing and aging of the leaf.
  • Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
  • Be at ease in unsafe environments: Be at ease in unsafe environments like being exposed to dust, rotating equipment, hot surfaces, sub-freezing and cold storage areas, noise, wet floors and moving lift equipment.
  • Flavour tobacco leaves: Flavour tobacco leaves to set off the taste of tobacco and to maintain the quality of the product.
  • Perform pre-blending of tobacco leaves: Pre-blend tobacco leaves to ensure a balanced mix of different types of tobacco in one hand.
  • Tie tobacco leaves in hands: Tie tobacco leaves in a bundle called a hand taking care that each hand contains an equal quantity. Calculate weight of the hand and tie it safely. Prepare hands before curing or inspection processes.
  • Operate tobacco drying technology: Operate tobacco drying technology that dries the tobacco at higher temperatures and therefore more quickly than conventional dryers. Shorter drying times reduce tobacco degradation and energy consumption.
  • Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
  • Perform kiln fermentation of tobacco leaves: Place tobacco leaves in the kiln with the lid shut. Control heat and humidity. Kiln fermenting lasts about 4 to 6 weeks.
  • Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
  • Perform flue-cured methods for tobacco: String tobacco leaves into tobacco sticks, and hang them from tier-poles in curing barn’s “kilns”. Slowly raise the temperature over the course of the curing process. The procedure will generally take about a week. Flue-cured tobacco generally produces with a high content of sugar and medium to high levels of nicotine.
  • Assess fermentation levels of tobacco leaves: Assess fermentation stage of tobacco leaves. Use thermometers, humidifiers, water, and your sense to test the level of fermentation.
  • Follow production schedule: Follow production schedule taking into account all requirements, times and needs. This schedule outlines what individual commodities must be produced in each time period and encapsulates various concerns like production, staffing, inventory, etc. It is usually linked to manufacturing where the plan indicates when and how much of each product will be demanded. Utilise all the information in the actual implementation of the plan.
  • Perform sun-cured methods for tobacco: Place tobacco in the sun uncovered to let it dry out naturally. Generally, oriental tobacco is low in sugar and nicotine and is very popular for cigarettes.
  • Blend tobacco leaves: Blend tobacco leaves by cutting, conditioning, and blending the leaves of tobacco before these are being wrapped in a cigar or cut for cigarettes.
  • Sort tobacco leaves: Sort tobacco leaves according to colour and condition. Select the leaves with the best specifications for rolling cigars and for quality assurance. Sort tobacco leaves for manufacturing of different products such as pipe tobacco and chewing tobacco.
  • Perform air-cured methods for tobacco: Perform air-cured tobacco by hanging the tobacco in a well-ventilated barn and allow it to dry over a period of four to eight weeks. Air-cured tobacco is generally low in sugar content, which gives the tobacco smoke a smooth, semi-sweet flavour. Air-cured tobacco leaves usually have a high nicotine content.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of curing room worker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Tobacco products: The varieties of products that can be manufactured using tobacco leaves as a base. The types of tobacco products which are smoked tobacco products, smokeless tobacco products, and byproducts of tobacco leaves.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of curing room worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
  • Perform cleaning duties: Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
  • Carry out environmental audits: Use equipment to measure various environmental parameters in order to identify environmental problems and investigate manners in which they can be resolved. Perform inspections in order to ensure compliance with environmental legislation.
  • Monitor processing conditions: Observe gauges, video monitors, and printouts to assess if specified processing conditions are in place. Make the necessary adjustments to process variables such as times, inputs, flow rates and temperature settings.
  • Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
  • Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
  • Carry out checks of production plant equipment: Carry out checks of the machinery and equipment used in the production plant. Ensure that the machinery is working properly, set machines before usage, and assure continuous operability of the equipment.
  • Perform services in a flexible manner: Adapt service approach when circumstances change.
  • Work in a food processing team: Collaborate in a team with other food processing professionals in service of the food and beverages industry.
  • Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.

ISCO group and title

7516 – Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers


References
  1. Curing room worker – ESCO
Last updated on September 14, 2022

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