Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter Operator (MTST Operator)

The MT/ST workstation sat at a desk like a typewriter — with tape cartridges recording the typing for editing and replay — and operators worked from manuscript drafts, recording original text, revising through tape edits, and producing final output. Documents produced and revision-turnaround quality anchored the operating measures.

What surprised people about the work was the editing flexibility tape made possible — operators could insert, delete, and reorder text in ways that mechanical typewriters couldn't, and MT/ST operations became central to law firms, government agencies, and corporate executive offices. Variance across employers shaped the role: law firms ran heavy MT/ST work for repetitive document production; corporate offices used the machines for executive correspondence; government agencies relied on them for standardized forms.

The role suited those comfortable with skilled typing and patient with the mechanical tape system — MT/ST operators were often the first word-processing specialists in their organizations. The trade-off was the displacement by dedicated word processors and PCs through the 1980s, with MT/ST operations retiring as Wang, IBM Displaywriter, and later Microsoft Word absorbed the workload.