How To Become A Metal Fabricator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a metal fabricator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Every day, we use and encounter metal tools, machines, and structures. You have probably never thought about how all of these are made or who is involved in making them. The truth of the matter is that these machines and structures are built from raw materials through a process called metal fabrication. And metal fabricators are the ones who help build them. These fabricators work from patterns and blueprints to prepare, fabricate, and weld various metal components and structures.

If you want to work as a metal fabricator, you'll need to be good at reading and interpreting engineering blueprints. Some of the other tasks you'll perform on the job include grinding and finishing completed products, setting up metalwork machinery, and performing quality checks on completed projects. Some of the tools that you'll use include shears, rollers, flame cutters, and drill presses.

If you want to get into this career field, you'll need advanced mathematical and engineering skills, the ability to lift and manipulate large metal objects, as well as the ability to stand for long periods of time. Also, a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field is required. Some employer may prefer candidates with welding certification and advanced welding experience

ScoreMetal FabricatorUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,047

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.0

Growth Rate -6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.58%

Asian 8.09%

Black or African American 12.02%

Hispanic or Latino 17.16%

Unknown 3.76%

White 58.38%

Gender

female 5.93%

male 94.07%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

7.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.2

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a metal fabricator

Explore metal fabricator education requirements

Most common metal fabricator degrees

High School Diploma

46.1 %

Associate

20.4 %

Diploma

13.3 %

Start to develop specific metal fabricator skills

Skills	Percentages
MIG	8.60%
Hand Tools	7.54%
Aluminum	6.20%
Press Brake	5.56%
Drill Press	4.92%

Research metal fabricator duties and responsibilities

Examine surface of metal to detect defects, such as dents, scratches, or breaks in metal.
Operate band see, chop see, MIG welder, stick welder, and grinders to cut to specifications.
Design and construct jigs, templates, and fixtures.
Test and troubleshoot electrical systems prior to shipment of modules.

Prepare your metal fabricator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your metal fabricator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a metal fabricator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Metal Fabricator Resume templates

Build a professional Metal Fabricator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Metal Fabricator resume.

Apply for metal fabricator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a metal fabricator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do metal fabricators rate their job?

-/5

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Metal Fabricator reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Pros

Piping,tanks ,vessels ,structure

Cons

All types of fabricator technician jobs like & Because i like my job .