Careers > Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

$47.2K Median Salary 5.9K Job Openings (Annual Projection) -11.4% Job Growth

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About This Career

Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

Reported Job Titles

Fabricator, Fitter, Layout Man, Mill Beam Fitter, Ship Fitter, Structural Steel Fitter, Tack Welder, Weld Technician

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Control Precision

Multilimb Coordination

Near Vision

Manual Dexterity

Visualization

Category Flexibility

Deductive Reasoning

Finger Dexterity

Information Ordering

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Problem Sensitivity

Selective Attention

Speech Clarity

Static Strength

Trunk Strength

Knowledge

Mechanical

Mathematics

Building and Construction

Design

English Language

Production and Processing

Skills

Active Listening

Critical Thinking

Reading Comprehension

Speaking

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Computer aided design CAD software

Electronic mail software

Office suite software

Word processing software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Tools

Drill press or radial drill

Punches or nail sets or drifts

Shears

Hydraulic press brake

Welder torch

Plasma arc welding machine

Metal inert gas welding machine

Power saws

Track cranes

Dial indicator or dial gauge

Screwdrivers

Tape measures

Machine end mill

Induction heaters

Manual press brake

Hoists

Sheet metal forming machine

Blow torch

Surface gauge

Track bulldozers

Compasses

Squares

Milling machines

Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe

Rulers

Height gauges

Precision file

Sledge hammer

Taps

Power riveter

Sine bar

Spot welding machine

Power planes

Tungsten inert gas welding machine

Hand reamer

Paint sprayers

Positioning jig

Claw hammer

Level sensors or transmitters

Belt sander

Hacksaw

Ladders

Micrometers

Bench vises

Scaffolding

Pry bars

Jacks

Hand clamps

Scribers

Forklifts

Wedges

Power grinders

Turnbuckles

Locking pliers

Power chippers

Protractors

Desktop computers

Adjustable wrenches

Personal computers

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

Knowledge

Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Building and Construction: Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software

Tools

Drill press or radial drill: Drill presses; Punch presses; Radial drills
Punches or nail sets or drifts: Mini punch sets
Shears: Metal shears
Hydraulic press brake: Hydraulic squeezers
Welder torch: Plasma arc cutting torches
Plasma arc welding machine: Plasma cutters
Metal inert gas welding machine: Fine wire welding machines
Power saws: Chain saws
Track cranes: Overhead cranes
Dial indicator or dial gauge: Dial indicators
Screwdrivers: Mini screwdriver sets
Tape measures: Diameter tape measures
Machine end mill: End mills
Induction heaters: Bearing heating ovens
Manual press brake: Arbor presses
Hoists: Hoisting equipment
Sheet metal forming machine: Roll benders
Blow torch: Underwater blow torches
Surface gauge: Surface gauges
Track bulldozers: Wide track bulldozers
Compasses:
Squares:
Milling machines: Machining centers
Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe: Lathes
Rulers: Precision rulers; Steel rules
Height gauges:
Precision file: Non-conductive files
Sledge hammer: Steel sledge hammers
Taps: Metal cutting taps
Power riveter: Rivet guns
Sine bar: Compound sine bars
Spot welding machine: Portable welding equipment
Power planes: Power planers
Tungsten inert gas welding machine: Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
Hand reamer: Reamers
Paint sprayers: High volume low pressure HVLP spray guns; Low volume high pressure LVHP sprayers; Paint spray guns; Paint sprayguns
Positioning jig: Sharpening jigs
Claw hammer: Claw hammers
Level sensors or transmitters: Level transmitters
Belt sander: Belt sanders
Hacksaw: Hacksaws
Ladders: Extension ladders
Micrometers:
Bench vises: Vises
Scaffolding:
Pry bars:
Jacks: Hydraulic jacks
Hand clamps:
Scribers: Scriber markers
Forklifts:
Wedges: Felling wedges
Power grinders: Underwater power grinders
Turnbuckles:
Locking pliers: Channel lock pliers; Vise grip pliers
Power chippers: Wood chippers
Protractors:
Desktop computers:
Adjustable wrenches: Adjustable hand wrenches
Personal computers:

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