Labourers in metal fabrication
Career Overview
Labourers in metal fabrication:
- Remove excess metal and unwanted materials from metal parts, castings and other metal products and do other labouring activities
- Work in structural steel, boiler and platework fabrication plants, heavy machinery manufacturing plants, sheet metal fabrication shops, shipbuilding and other metal products manufacturing companies
Job Titles
Duties
Labourers in this group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret work orders
- Operate metal cleaning equipment such as wheelabrators, deburrers and shotblasters to remove excess welds, rust, scale and other material from surfaces of metal parts, castings and other metal products
- Polish metal products to mirror finish
- Put metal products in cleaning solutions
- Help structural steel and platework fitters, sheet metal workers, metalworking machine operators or other metal workers
- Carry raw materials and finished metal products manually or using hoists or other devices
- Sort metal sheets and parts, scrap metal and other materials
- Clean work areas and equipment
- Load and unload vehicles using hand truck or dolly
- May cut, grind or chip excess metal from metal products using hand tools
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,370% Employed Full Time
55%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in an indoor plant environment
- Working with machinery may be a source of injury
- Labourers may be exposed to flying metal particles and noise
Career Pathways
There is some movement between occupations in this group.
Progression to metalworking machine operator positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Some secondary school education may be required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Academic/Basic Upgrading
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,370Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 2.9% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 1.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,020 | 74.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 20 | 1.5% |
| Northeast | 25 | 1.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 95 | 6.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 150 | 10.9% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
360Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | -1.7% |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 340 | 0.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | 0 | -2.9% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 20 | 0.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 10 | -1.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 260 |
| Wholesale Trade | 20 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 20 |
| Construction | 20 |
| Retail Trade | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
