Sheet metal worker

Construction Industry Careers

Sheet metal workers are involved in the creation, installation, and maintinence of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, as well as creating and installing rain gutters, metal and plastic siding, and other products made from sheet metal.

Working Conditions : Sheet metal workers generally work full time. Much work takes place indoors; however, some installers are expected to work outdoors under a variety of weather conditions. Sheet metal fabrication and installation requires heavy lifting, climbing, bending, squatting, reaching, as well as long periods of standing. Safety is extremely important- cutting and welding equipment can cause injury, and there is a risk of falling for installers, who do much of their work from ladders and scaffolding.

Training and education: Sheet metal workers usually learn the trade through an apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships usually last four to five years, and consist of on the job training, administered by the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association and local chapters of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association.

Employment : There are about 200,000 sheet metal workers in any given year. Most sheet metal workers work for contractors; some work in manufacturing.

Employment Outlook: According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment opportunities for sheet metal workers are expected to be very good, especially for trained apprentices. Sheet metal workers who choose employment in the Construction industry can expect less competition for positions than those in manufacturing. The need for regular maintenance of heating and air conditioning systems means that there will be a demand for sheet metal work even in seasons where construction work traditionally slows.

Wages/ Salary: On average, a sheet metal worker can expect to make between ten and thirty dollars an hour, with the highest wages going to workers in plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning. Federal Government wages tend to be slightly higher depending on region. Apprentices can expect to make only about 40% of the wages earned by experienced workers. Union workers, on average, earn more than non-union workers.

What is a sheet metal worker?: Sheet metal workers are involved in the creation, installation, and maintinence of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, as well as creating and installing rain gutters, metal and plastic siding, and other products made from sheet metal. Sheet metal workers must be able to read and interpret plans and specifications, and need basic geometry and trigonometry skills, in order to calculate materials needed for a job without wasting materials. Many sheet metal workers are expected to operate computers and complex machinery, such as laser cutting devices. Sheet metal fabricators work in factories, creating product parts for equipment, aircraft parts, etc. Sheet metal fabrication can be highly repetetive, but does not require the same mathematical and planning skills. Training for Sheet metal workers consists of a minimum of 144 hours per year of classroom instruction in drafting, reading plans and specifications, equipment use, and principles of heating, air-conditioning, and ventilating systems. On the job training begins with patterns, cutting, fabrication, and installation. When training is complete, apprentices move on to the journeyman lebvel, becoming full fledged sheet metal workers. Some sheet metal workers acquire training almost entirely on the job, usually through promotions as they gain experience. In order for these workers, known as 'helpers,' to advance to the journeyman level, they must take a written exam. Sheet metal workers are expected to train regularly in new techniques and technologies.