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Leaf tier

Also called cigar buncher, hand leaf tier, cigar leaf tier

Leaf tiers tie tobacco leaves manually into bundles for processing. They select loose leaves by hand and arrange them with butt ends together. They wind tie leaf around butts.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects15 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €4,800 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 7 in 10 train through vocational routes.Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers · ILO

What you'd do

Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers · ILO
  • Grading cured tobacco leaves by type, quality and locality where grown
  • Mixing tobacco leaves according to formula to obtain a blend of distinct flavour
  • Tending vacuum container which moistens tobacco for further processing
  • Removing midribs and stalks from tobacco leaves and shredding tobacco
  • Making cigars, cigarettes, snuff and other tobacco products by hand or with simple machines
Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beveragesApply GMPApply HACCPMark differences in coloursAdapt efficient food processing practices+ 13 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people, mostly with colleagues
  • Little freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Varied tasks, little repetition
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the related, broader US job "Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers in the EU
4.07m3.96m3.58m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
910,000 replacing leavers 332,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers15
All jobs29
Right now
1 of 27 countries report a shortage of tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers, 3 a surplus.
Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,800 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in food processing is the usual route.

Highest qualification of food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 11%Vocational 53%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 26%
Field that teaches it
Food processing
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.14 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Grading cured tobacco leaves by type, quality and locality where grown0.21
Mixing tobacco leaves according to formula to obtain a blend of distinct flavour0.17
Tending vacuum container which moistens tobacco for further processing0.15
Making cigars, cigarettes, snuff and other tobacco products by hand or with simple machines0.10
Removing midribs and stalks from tobacco leaves and shredding tobacco0.08

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).