Metal Worker

Job Details

Sector(s)

Construction; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$47,010–$57,160 per year

$22.60–$27.48 per hour

Job Type

Entry- to Mid-Level

Typical Entry-Level
Education and Work
Experience
Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent; some postsecondary education may be required; little to no experience necessary

Alternate Titles

Ironworker, welder, cutter, solderer, brazer, and sheet metal worker.

Brief Job Description

Metal workers in the marine energy industry perform a wide variety of tasks, from installing large-scale structural and reinforcing iron and steel to support large-scale infrastructure to installing smaller-scale sheet metal structures for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, electrical switchboards, and other structures at marine energy facilities. Some metal workers also repair metal structures during operation at existing marine energy facilities.

Education and Training Level Description

A high school diploma or equivalent is required to enter most metal worker jobs. Additional vocational education courses in blueprint reading, mechanical drawing, and welding are not always required but are often useful to enter metal worker careers.

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers may enter the career through an apprenticeship program, vocational-technical school program, or on-the-job training. Ironworkers and sheet metal workers must complete apprenticeships. Ironworkers learn their trade through a 3–4 year apprenticeship, whereas sheet metal worker apprenticeships often last 4–5 years. Some states require welders and sheet metal workers to be licensed.

Certifications are not required for metal workers but can make a worker more attractive to prospective employers. Certifications are available in various different tasks and specializations associated with metal working jobs; for example, the American Welding Society offers welding certification, and several organizations offer rigging certifications, including the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, the Institute for Printed Circuits offers certification and training in soldering, and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International offers a certification in precision sheet metal work.

Job Profile

Metal workers in the marine energy industry perform a wide variety of tasks in construction projects and during maintenance and repair of metal infrastructure.

Ironworkers install large-scale structural and reinforcing iron and steel to support large-scale infrastructure. Structural iron and steel workers erect, place, and join steel girders, columns, and other pieces to build the structural supports needed in buildings and large infrastructure like marine construction pilings and other supporting structures. They also may assemble pre-cut metal buildings and the cranes and derricks that move materials and equipment around construction sites. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers' position and securing steel bars or mesh in concrete building materials to reinforce the concrete.

Sheet metal workers fabricate and install smaller-scale structures that require thin metal parts. In the marine energy industry, sheet metal workers often fabricate precision parts for turbines and other mechanical components. They often work in shops and factories, operating tools and equipment. In large-scale manufacturing, their tasks may be highly automated and repetitive. Some fabrication shops have automated machinery, such as computer-controlled saws, lasers, shears, and presses, which measure, cut, bend, and fasten pieces of sheet metal. Workers may use computer-aided drafting and design systems to make products. Some of these workers are responsible for programming the computers controlling the equipment. Workers who primarily program computerized equipment are called metal and plastic machine workers.

Sheet metal workers also work at onshore marine energy construction sites, installing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, electrical cabinets and switchboards, cable trays, and other structures inside marine energy operations and control facilities.

Metal workers at each stage of onshore and offshore construction often need to weld, cut, solder, and braze metal parts to bind the same or different metals and materials together or cut metals to specific dimensions. Some workers specialize in performing one of these tasks (welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers). Welders join metals using a variety of techniques and processes. Solderers join metals by heating a filler metal and often work with very small pieces that must be positioned precisely to make precision items such as circuit boards. Brazers also heat a filler metal to join metals together, but they often work on a larger scale, connecting dissimilar metals and applying protective coatings. Workers who specialize in these tasks may work as part of a team of other metal workers during construction or may work independently during the operation and maintenance stage of a project to repair metal structures at existing facilities.

Offshore construction also needs ironworkers and welders who are trained divers and can work with metal underwater. Underwater metal workers help construct underwater infrastructure like pilings and other underwater components of marine energy arrays. They are also needed to perform underwater maintenance on metal structures during operation. Learn more about becoming a certified diver in the marine energy industry.

Sheet metal workers typically:

Select types of sheet metal according to building or design plans
Measure and mark dimensions and reference lines on metal sheets
Drill holes in metal for screws, bolts, and rivets
Install metal sheets with supportive frameworks
Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites
Maneuver and anchor large sheet metal parts
Fasten seams or joints by welding, bolting, riveting, or soldering.

Ironworkers typically:

Read and follow blueprints, sketches, and other instructions
Unload and stack prefabricated iron and steel so that it can be lifted with slings
Signal crane operators who lift and position structural and reinforcing iron and steel
Use shears, rod-bending machines, torches, hand tools, and welding equipment to cut, bend, and weld the structural and reinforcing iron and steel
Align structural and reinforcing iron and steel vertically and horizontally, using tag lines, plumb bobs, lasers, and levels
Connect iron and steel with bolts, wire, or welds
Install metal decking used in building construction.

Job Skills

Metal workers typically need:

To be detail oriented. Metal workers often need to precisely measure, cut, and join metals with precision. For welding, soldering, and brazing, the ability to see characteristics of the joint and detect changes in molten metal flows requires attention to detail.
Manual dexterity. Metal workers must have a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination to make precise cuts, bends, and seams in metal pieces. Structural metal workers must be able to tie rebar together quickly and precisely.
Physical stamina. These workers must be able to endure long periods in awkward positions while bending, stooping, or standing.
Physical strength. Metal workers must be able to lift heavy pieces of metal and move welding or cutting equipment.
Spatial-orientation skills. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers must be able to read and interpret two- and three-dimensional diagrams in order to fit metal products correctly.
Math skills. Sheet metal workers must calculate the proper sizes and angles of fabricated sheet metal to ensure the alignment and fit of ductwork.
The ability to work at heights. Structural ironworkers must not be afraid to work at great heights. For example, workers connecting girders during skyscraper construction may have to walk on narrow beams that are 50 stories or higher.
Balance. Ironworkers often walk on narrow beams, so a good sense of balance is important to keep them from falling.
Critical-thinking skills. Ironworkers need to identify problems, monitor and assess potential risks, and evaluate the best courses of action. They must use logic and reasoning when finding alternatives so that they safely accomplish their tasks
Depth perception. Ironworkers often signal crane operators who move beams and bundles of rebar, so they must be able to judge the distance between objects.

More Information, Job Opportunities, etc.

For more information on metal worker jobs, see: