person, wearing a hard hat, working on a piece of industrial equipment

Metalworking and forging machine operators

(NOC 94105)
Annual Earnings
$52,140
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
High School Diploma
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
290

Career Overview

Light metalworking machine operators:

  • Operate metalworking machines which shape and form sheet or other light metal into parts or products
  • Work for sheet metal products manufacturing companies, sheet metal shops and other light metal products manufacturing establishments

Heavy metalworking machine operators:

  • Operate metalworking machines which shape and form steel or other heavy metal into parts or products
  • Work for structural steel fabrication, boiler and platework manufacturing companies, heavy machinery manufacturing companies and in the shipbuilding industry

Forging machine operators operate:

  • Forging machines to form and shape metal into various shapes and sizes and impart desired strength, hardness or other characteristics
  • Work primarily in the fabricated metal products, machinery and transportation equipment manufacturing industries

Job Titles

Acetylene torch operator - metal fabrication
Air hammer operator - metal forging
Aluminum sheet cutter - ductwork
Aluminum sheet cutter - metal fabrication
Aluminum sheet trimmer - ductwork
Angle shear operator - metal fabrication
Arc cutter - metal fabrication
Automatic cut-off operator - metal fabrication
Automatic cut-off saw operator - metal products manufacturing
Bender set-up operator - metal products manufacturing
Bending machine operator - metal forging
Bending machine set-up operator - metal fabrication
Bending machine tender - metal fabrication
Bending machine tender - metal products manufacturing
Bending press operator - metal fabrication
Bending roll operator - metal fabrication
Board drop hammer operator
Board hammer operator - metal forging
Brake setter - metalworking
Buffing line setter
Buffing machine set-up operator - metal fabrication
Burning machine operator - metal fabrication
Burning table operator - metal fabrication
Cage builder - metal fabrication
Cold drawn operator - metal forging
Cold press operator - metal forging
Computer numerically controlled (CNC) brake press operator
Computer numerically controlled (CNC) brake press set-up operator
Corrugator sheet metal operator
Disc flanging operator - metal fabrication
Disk flange operator
Disk flange operator - metal fabrication
Drop forge hand
Drop forge operator
Drop forge operator - metal forging
Drop forger
Drop hammer forger
Drop hammer operator - metal forging
Dual action hammer operator - metal forging
Duplicator punch operator - metal fabrication
Electric arc cutter - metal products manufacturing
Expanding machine operator - metal products manufacturing
Flame cutting machine operator - metal fabrication
Flame cutting tracer machine operator - metal fabrication
Flame hardening machine setter
Flying shear operator - metal fabrication
Forge manipulator operator
Forging air hammer operator
Forging machine operator
Forging machine operator group leader
Forging machine operators lead hand
Forging machine setter
Forging machine set-up man/woman
Forging press operator
Forging press tender
Forging roll operator
Forming machine operator - metal fabrication
Forming press operator - metal fabrication
Forming roll set-up operator - metal fabrication
Forming roll tender - metal fabrication
Hammer driver - forging
Hammer operator - metal forging
Heater operator - metal forging
Heavy-duty press set-up operator - metal fabrication
Heavy forger
Hoop bender
Hoop-maker machine operator - metal fabrication
Hot press operator - metal forging
Hydraulic press operator - metal fabrication
Impact hammer operator - metal forging
Impression die press operator - metal fabrication
Laser cutter - metal fabrication
Lay-out marker - metal products manufacturing
Lead fabricator
Leaf spring inspector
Leaf spring maker - metal fabrication
Machine power saw operator
Magnetic flame cutting machine operator - metal fabrication
Manipulator operator - metal forging
Mechanical press operator - metal products manufacturing
Metal cut-off saw operator
Metal fabricating machine operator
Metal-forming machine set-up operator
Metal-forming machine tender
Metal parts inspector
Metal power saw operator
Metal sawing machine operator
Metal spinner
Metal-stamping press operator
Metal table saw operator
Metalworking machine operator
Metalworking machine setter
Metalworking machine set-up man/woman
Metalworking machine set-up operator
Multi-operation forming machine tender
Multiple punch press operator - metal fabrication
Musical instrument tube bender
Nibbling machine operator - metal fabrication
Ornamental metal worker - metal fabrication
Pantograph burner - metal fabrication
Pantograph flame cutter - metal fabrication
Pipe-bending machine operator - metal fabrication
Plate burner - metal fabrication
Plate shear operator - metal fabrication
Power brake operator - metal fabrication
Power hammer operator - metal forging
Power press operator
Power press operator - metal fabrication
Power press operator - metal products manufacturing
Power press set-up operator - metal fabrication
Power shear operator - metal fabrication
Power shear tender - metal fabrication
Press brake operator
Press brake operator - metal products manufacturing
Press tender - pierce and shave
Punch and shear machine operator - metal fabrication
Puncher and shearer - metal products manufacturing
Punch press operator
Punch press operator - metal fabrication
Punch press setter - metalworking
Restrike hammer operator - metal forging
Ring mill operator - metal forging
Rod-bending machine operator - metal fabrication
Roll bender operator - metal products manufacturing
Roll forger
Roll-forming machine setter - metalworking
Rolling machine operator - metal forging
Roll operator - metal fabrication
Rotary shear operator - metal fabrication
Saw operator - metal fabrication
Shearer - metal working
Shear operator
Shear operator - metal fabrication
Shear setter - metal fabrication
Sheet metal brake tender
Sheet metal corrugation machine operator
Sheet metal corrugator
Sheet metal cutter - metal fabrication
Sheet-metal-embossing machine operator
Sheet metal fabrication inspector
Sheet metal roll operator - metal fabrication
Sheet metal spinner - metal fabrication
Sheet-metal-working machine operator - metal products manufacturing
Sheet-metal-working machine set-up operator
Sheet-metal-working machine tender - metal fabrication
Slide forming machine setter - metal fabrication
Slide forming machine set-up operator
Slide forming machine tender - metal fabrication
Steam hammer operator - metal forging
Steel shot machine operator
Straightener hand - metal fabrication
Straightening press operator - metal fabrication
Straight line press setter - metal fabrication
Strip-roll-forming machine operator - metal fabrication
Strip-roll-forming machine tender - metal fabrication
Threader - metal products manufacturing
Trip hammer operator - metal forging
Tube-bending machine operator - metal fabrication
Tubular metal products fabricator
Turret press operator
Turret press set-up operator
Turret punch press operator - metal fabrication
Upsetter operator - metal forging
Upsetting machine operator - metal forging
Vehicle spring repairer - metal forging
Vertical press operator
Vertical press operator - metal fabrication
Vertical roll operator - metal fabrication

Duties

Metalworking and forging machine operators:

  • Read specifications or follow verbal instructions
  • Lay out, set up and operate one or more light or heavy metalworking machines such as shears, power presses, saws, plate rolls, drills, brakes, slitters, punch presses, computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment, and other hand tools to cut, bend, roll, ream, punch and drill, weld or otherwise shape and form metal stock into parts or products
  • Operate machines or equipment which weld, solder, bolt, screw or rivet metal parts together
  • Check products for correct shapes, dimensions and other specifications
  • Troubleshoot and perform corrective action or minor repairs
  • May select and transport material to work area manually or using crane or hoist
  • May document work completed
  • May build staging or erect scaffolding as required for heavy metalworking jobs
  • May clean or lubricate equipment and replace parts as required

Forging machine operators:

  • Position and adjust dies on anvil of forging machinery using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices and hand tools
  • Operate presses or other forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, twisting, forming, drawing, upsetting, splitting, cutting, punching, piercing, bending, coining, or other operations to shape or form metal
  • Position heated or cold metal pieces, on die of press or other forging machinery
  • Place metal pieces in furnace using hand tongs or overhead cranes and remove from furnace when colour of metal indicates proper forging temperature, or load and unload furnace with automatic conveyor
  • Operate gas or oil fired furnaces to heat metal to proper temperature prior to forging

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.

Annual Earnings

$52,140

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$30.00/hr
Median$25.00/hr
Low$17.50/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

765

% Employed Full Time

71%
Source: 2021 Census

Key aspects of work in this occupation:

  • Machine operators in this unit group usually work in a conventional controlled environment such as an office, hospital or school
  • This work produces enough noise to cause loss of hearing
  • Work is done with equipment, machinery or power/hand tools that could cause an injury
  • Workers are exposed to small pieces of flying material and falling objects that could cause injury

Career Pathways

There is little or no mobility between operators of light and heavy metalworking machines.

Progression to structural metal fabricator or supervisory positions is possible with experience.

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:

Realistic
Realistic

Education, Training and Skills

  • Completion of secondary school education may be required
  • Previous experience as a labourer or helper in the same company may be required
  • On-the-job training is usually provided

Trades training resources

Visit our trades training page at www.workbc.ca/trades to learn about apprenticeship and trades training in B.C.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Academic/Basic Upgrading
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

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!

Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

67%
Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

62%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

60%
Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

58%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

53%
Active Listening

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.

52%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

51%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

50%
Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

50%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

49%

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

765
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 45 5.9%
Kootenay 10 1.3%
Mainland/Southwest 515 67.3%
North Coast and Nechako 10 1.3%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 95 12.4%
Vancouver Island/Coast 90 11.8%
Source: 2021 Census

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)

290
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 0 -0.9%
Kootenay Not available Not available
Mainland/Southwest 200 1.0%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 60 2.0%
Vancouver Island/Coast 30 0.4%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Manufacturing210
Wholesale Trade50
Construction30
Retail Trade10
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.