BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasSheet Metal Workers

O*NET · 47-2211.00

Sheet Metal Workers

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.

Also called AC Sheet Metal Installer · AC Sheet Metal Installer (Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer) · Air Duct Mechanic · Aircraft Metalsmith · Aircraft Sheet Metal Mechanic · Angle Bender · Aviation Metalsmith · Beam Worker
67 more

Ceiling Installer · Chute Builder · Commercial Sheet Metal Service Installer · Coppersmith · Cornice Maker · Cowlman · Deburr Tech · Deburr Tech (Deburr Technician) · Duct Installer · Dural Mechanic · Duralumin Mechanic · Duralumin Metalworker · Extrusion Former · Fabrication Tech · Fabrication Technician (Fabrication Tech) · Fairing Man · Fairing Worker · Field Installer · Geothermal Sheet Metal Worker · Gutter Hanger · Gutter Installer · Heating Duct Installer · Hood Maker · Hood Tech · Hood Technician (Hood Tech) · HVAC Sheet Metal Installer · HVAC Sheet Metal Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer) · HVAC Sheet Metal Mechanic · HVAC Sheet Metal Mechanic (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Mechanic) · HVAC Sheet Metal Specialist · HVAC Sheet Metal Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Specialist) · Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker · Layout Worker · Metal Ceiling Builder · Metal Ceiling Hanger · Metal Fabricator · Metal Tech · Metal Technician (Metal Tech) · Metal Work Duct Installer · Metal Worker · Metalsmith · Press Brake Operator · Sheet Metal Assembler · Sheet Metal Duct Installer · Sheet Metal Erector · Sheet Metal Fabricator · Sheet Metal Former · Sheet Metal Installer · Sheet Metal Journeyman · Sheet Metal Layout Mechanic · Sheet Metal Layout Worker · Sheet Metal Mechanic · Sheet Metal Operator · Sheet Metal Smith · Sheet Metal Tech · Sheet Metal Technician (Sheet Metal Tech) · Sheet Metal Work Furnace Installer · Sheet Metal Worker · Spouting Installer · Template Fitter · Template Layout Worker · Tin Worker · Tinker · Tinner · Tinsmith · Whitesmith · Wind Turbine Sheet Metal Worker

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Machinists

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.58
  • I Investigative2.07
  • A Artistic1.55
  • S Social1.00
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma7%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent49%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate44%
Related work experience
None (47%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 4 years, up to and including 10 years (19%)
On-the-job training
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (41%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Coordination3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Monitoringbasic3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Mathematicsbasic3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the square footage of a new home under construction
  • Time Management3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Equipment Maintenance2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Operation and Control2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Repairing2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
Show the other 23
  • Troubleshooting2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Instructing2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Operations Monitoring2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Complex Problem Solving2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Active Learningbasic2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Quality Control Analysis2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Installation2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Install a new air filter in an air conditioner
  • Equipment Selection2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Social Perceptiveness2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Systems Analysis2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Service Orientation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Evaluation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Writingbasic2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Negotiation2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Operations Analysis2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Persuasion2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Management of Material Resources1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Sciencebasic1.60.9
  • Management of Financial Resources1.50.8
  • Programming1.40.4

Tasks

13 core · 6 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.4.3
  2. Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.4.2
  3. 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.4.2
  4. Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.4.2
  5. Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.4.2
  6. Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.4.0
  7. Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.4.0
  8. Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.3.9
  9. Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.3.9
  10. Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.3.9
  11. Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.3.7
  12. Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.3.6
Show the other 7
  1. Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.3.6
  2. Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.4.4
  3. Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.3.7
  4. Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).3.6
  5. Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.3.4
  6. Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.3.0
  7. Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.2.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Mechanical4.25.1Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Building and Construction3.84.4Level 4 looks like: Fix a plumbing leak in the ceiling
  • Mathematics3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Design3.63.7Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • English Language3.42.7
  • Administration and Management3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Education and Training3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Production and Processing3.12.8
Show all 33
  • Engineering and Technology3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Computers and Electronics2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Customer and Personal Service2.82.7
  • Public Safety and Security2.82.7
  • Physics2.62.9
  • Transportation2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Administrative2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Sales and Marketing2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Chemistry1.81.7Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Law and Government1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Economics and Accounting1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Food Production1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Grow herbs in the kitchen
  • Geography1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Psychology1.5—
  • Communications and Media1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Telecommunications1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Therapy and Counseling1.30.7Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Biology1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.2—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.2—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.1—
  • Foreign Language1.0—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision3.63.4Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Visualization3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.43.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Manual Dexterity3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Finger Dexterity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Information Ordering3.33.1Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Selective Attention3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
Show all 52
  • Category Flexibility3.13.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Control Precision3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Flexibility of Closure3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Oral Comprehension3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Static Strength3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Trunk Strength3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Written Comprehension3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Auditory Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Depth Perception3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Extent Flexibility3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Far Vision3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Inductive Reasoning3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Mathematical Reasoning3.02.9
  • Number Facility3.02.4Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Reaction Time3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Speech Clarity3.02.9
  • Speech Recognition3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Rate Control2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Stamina2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Climb 6 flights of stairs
  • Response Orientation2.82.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Time Sharing2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Gross Body Coordination2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Dynamic Strength2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Fluency of Ideas2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.52.8Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Originality2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Written Expression2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Spatial Orientation2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.32.4Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Memorization2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Speed of Closure2.12.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Explosive Strength2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Glare Sensitivity1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Peripheral Vision1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Sound Localization1.80.9
  • Night Vision1.60.8
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.50.8

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.72.7
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.43.6Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.44.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization4.33.9Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.34.7Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.33.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Coaching and Developing Others4.24.0Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.23.1Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
Show all 41
  • Training and Teaching Others4.23.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.13.8Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates4.03.4Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Developing and Building Teams3.92.9
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.84.3Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.84.9Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.85.2Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.72.6
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.73.6Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.63.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Selling or Influencing Others3.63.2Level 4 looks like: Make a sales pitch to convince others to buy a product
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.53.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Processing Information3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Thinking Creatively3.32.9
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.23.6Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.22.4Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.12.7
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.02.9
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.92.6
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Working with Computers2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Spend Time Standing4.8
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.4
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.3
  • Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings4.1
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.1
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.0
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.0

Technology

18 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (5)

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (13)
  • Applied Production ProFab
  • Applied Production ProFold
  • Corte Certo
  • FCC Software AutoPOL Series
  • JETCAM Expert
  • Merry Mechanization SMP/IS
  • PTC Creo Parametric
  • QuickPen DuctDesigner 3D
  • Revcad Software Sheet Lightning
  • Siemens NX
  • Striker Systems SS-Profile
  • WiCAM PN4000
  • XY Soft Sheet Cutting Suite

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
  2. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
  3. Structural Iron and Steel Workers
  4. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
  5. Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
  6. Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
  7. Insulation Workers, Mechanical
  8. Tool and Die Makers
  9. Carpenters
  10. Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.