What You'll Do

  • Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
  • Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
  • Tack-weld fitted parts together.
  • Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
  • Align and fit parts according to specifications, using jacks, turnbuckles, wedges, drift pins, pry bars, and hammers.
  • Locate and mark workpiece bending and cutting lines, allowing for stock thickness, machine and welding shrinkage, and other component specifications.
  • Position or tighten braces, jacks, clamps, ropes, or bolt straps, or bolt parts in position for welding or riveting.
  • Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.
  • Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
  • Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 3.0/5
Active Listening 3.0/5
Speaking 3.0/5
Critical Thinking 3.0/5
Monitoring 2.88/5
Operations Monitoring 2.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 2.62/5
Time Management 2.62/5
Coordination 2.38/5
Operation and Control 2.38/5
Judgment and Decision Making 2.38/5
Writing 2.25/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Perseverance, Stress Tolerance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.25/5
Near Vision 3.25/5
Visualization 3.12/5
Manual Dexterity 3.12/5
Control Precision 3.12/5
Multilimb Coordination 3.12/5
Static Strength 3.12/5
Oral Expression 3.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Computer aided design and drafting CADD software Dassault Systemes CATIA Enterprise resource planning ERP software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Word Spreadsheet software Tekla software Three-dimensional modeling software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.65/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.58/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.31/5)
  • Perseverance (High importance: 3.75/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 3.73/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Component Fabricator Fabricator Fitter Ground Support Equipment Assembler Hand Former Industrial Fabricator Layout Man Machine Cage Maker Machine Shop Fitter Metal Box Maker Metal Fabricator Metal Fabricator Apprentice Metal Framer Metal Products Assembler Metal Products Fabricator Mill Beam Fitter Motorcycle Assembler Motorcycle Fabricator Motorcycle Maker Ornamental Metal Worker Ornamental Metal Worker Apprentice Pneumatic Tool Operator (Pneumatic Tool Op) Precision Structural Metal Fitter Protector Plate Attacher Sheet Metal Mechanic Sheet Metal Technician (Sheet Metal Tech) Ship Fitter Ship Propeller Finisher Small Parts Fabricator Steel Fabricator Steel Fitter Steelworker Structural and Ornamental Metalwork Metal Fabricator Structural and Ornamental Metalwork Steel Fabricator Structural Fabricator Structural Fitter Structural Metal Fabricator Structural Metal Fitter Structural Planner Structural Steel Fabricator Structural Steel Fitter Weld Fitter

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.