Sheet Metal Workers

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This occupation is part of the Construction and Extraction cluster

About the Job

Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.

It is also Called

  • Air Conditioning Installer
  • Air Conditioning or Heating Duct Installer
  • Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer
  • Air Duct Mechanic
  • Aircraft Metalsmith
  • Angle Bender
  • Aviation Metalsmith
  • Beam Worker
  • Ceiling Installer
  • Chute Builder

What They Do

  • Determine project requirements, including scope, assembly sequences, and required methods and materials, according to blueprints, drawings, and written or verbal instructions.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, according to drawings or templates, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, and rulers.
  • Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
  • Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
  • Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
  • Maneuver completed units into position for installation, and anchor the units.
  • Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
  • Drill and punch holes in metal, for screws, bolts, and rivets.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: R.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Support, but also value Independence and Relationships in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • 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.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Additional Resources


Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $57,450 with most people making between $26,520 and $99,170

Outlook

0.84%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 11,900 people in California. It is projected that there will be 12,900 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 100 openings due to growth and about 200 replacement openings for approximately 300 total annual openings.

Common College Majors

Industries that Employ this Occupation

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