Explore by Career/Production
Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
Lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Includes shipfitters.
- Median pay
- $61,870
- per year
- 10-year outlook
- -5.4%
- Declining
- Typical entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Key skills
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Judgment and Decision Making
What they do
- Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.
- Plan locations and sequences of cutting, drilling, bending, rolling, punching, and welding operations, using compasses, protractors, dividers, and rules.
- Fit and align fabricated parts to be welded or assembled.
- Locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, height gauges, and dial indicators.
- Plan and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, design, effects of heat, and properties of metals.
- Lay out and fabricate metal structural parts such as plates, bulkheads, and frames.
- Compute layout dimensions, and determine and mark reference points on metal stock or workpieces for further processing, such as welding and assembly.
- Lift and position workpieces in relation to surface plates, manually or with hoists, and using parallel blocks and angle plates.
- Design and prepare templates of wood, paper, or metal.
- Install doors, hatches, brackets, and clips.
Majors that lead here
No mapped majors yet.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections) and O*NET, used under CC BY 4.0.