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Career Exploration

Sheet Metal Workers

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

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.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • mechanical
  • building and construction

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • management

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

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

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Math

  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Realistic

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

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Initiative
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Cooperation
  • Persistence

Computer aided design CAD software

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • PTC Creo Parametric

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software

  • Applied Production ProFab
  • WiCAM PN4000

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Below Average.

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $55,350

Education

High school diploma/GED or certificate after high school is usually needed.