Sheet Metal Workers

Also called: HVAC Sheet Metal Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer), Sheet Metal Fabricator, Sheet Metal Mechanic

Career Cluster: Architecture & Construction
What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
  • Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
  • 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.
KNOWLEDGE

Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical
  • building and construction
Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Business
  • management
SKILLS

Basic Skills
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • reading work related information
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
ABILITIES

Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
Hand and Finger Use
  • hold or move items with your hands
  • keep your arm or hand steady
Controlled Movement
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
Math
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
PERSONALITY

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Initiative
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Cooperation
  • Persistence
TECHNOLOGY

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
  • Applied Production ProFab
  • WiCAM PN4000
Computer aided design CAD software
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • PTC Creo Parametric
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
EDUCATION


high school diploma/GED or certificate after high school
usually needed
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JOB OUTLOOK

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Salary:
High: $100,850.00
Median: $58,780.00
Low: $37,000.00
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