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Date: 08/20/2025

Sheet Metal Workers

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.

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  • Work Activities
  • Skills
  • WorkKeys®
  • Abilities
  • Knowledge
  • Career Video
  • Pay
  • Ohio Employment Trends
  • Typical Education
  • Personality
  • Tools
  • Technology
  • Tags
  • Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
  • Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
  • Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.
  • 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.
  • Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
  • Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.
  • Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
  • Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
  • Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
  • Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
  • Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
  • Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
  • 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.
  • Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
  • Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
  • Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.
  • Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
  • Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.
  • Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.

Work Activities

Work Activities

  • Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
  • Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
  • Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.
  • 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.
  • Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
  • Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.
  • Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
  • Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
  • Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
  • Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
  • Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
  • Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
  • Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
  • 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.
  • Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
  • Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
  • Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.
  • Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
  • Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.
  • Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.

Skills

  • Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

  • Operations Analysis

    Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

  • Active Listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • Active Learning

    Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

  • Critical Thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • Repairing

    Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

  • Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

  • Equipment Maintenance

    Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

  • Science

    Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

  • Coordination

    Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

  • Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • Learning Strategies

    Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

  • Operation and Control

    Using equipment or systems.

  • Judgment and Decision Making

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

  • Reading Comprehension

    Reading work-related information.

  • Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • Complex Problem Solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • Time Management

    Managing your time and the time of other people.

  • Operations Monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

  • Equipment Selection

    Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

  • Social Perceptiveness

    Understanding people's reactions.

  • Quality Control Analysis

    Testing how well a product or service works.

  • Technology Design

    Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

  • Mathematics

    Using math to solve problems.

  • Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • Management of Personnel Resources

    Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

  • Negotiation

    Bringing people together to solve differences.

  • Systems Analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

  • Troubleshooting

    Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

  • Service Orientation

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • Management of Financial Resources

    Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

  • Management of Material Resources

    Managing equipment and materials.

  • Systems Evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • Programming

    Writing computer programs.

  • Installation

    Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

WorkKeys®

Applied Math
4
Workplace Documents
4
Graphic Literacy
4

Abilities

  • Glare Sensitivity

    Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

  • Explosive Strength

    Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

  • Extent Flexibility

    Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Near Vision

    Seeing details up close.

  • Deductive Reasoning

    Using rules to solve problems.

  • Inductive Reasoning

    Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness

    Keeping your arm or hand steady.

  • Static Strength

    Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

  • Time Sharing

    Doing two or more things at the same time.

  • Visual Color Discrimination

    Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

  • Category Flexibility

    Grouping things in different ways.

  • Auditory Attention

    Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

  • Far Vision

    Seeing details that are far away.

  • Selective Attention

    Paying attention to something without being distracted.

  • Control Precision

    Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

  • Night Vision

    Seeing at night or under low light.

  • Sound Localization

    Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

  • Trunk Strength

    Using your lower back and stomach.

  • Dynamic Flexibility

    Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

  • Memorization

    Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

  • Written Expression

    Communicating by writing.

  • Manual Dexterity

    Holding or moving items with your hands.

  • Oral Comprehension

    Listening and understanding what people say.

  • Speech Recognition

    Recognizing spoken words.

  • Visualization

    Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

  • Depth Perception

    Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

  • Spatial Orientation

    Knowing where things are around you.

  • Fluency of Ideas

    Coming up with lots of ideas.

  • Speed of Closure

    Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

  • Gross Body Coordination

    Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

  • Information Ordering

    Ordering or arranging things.

  • Multilimb Coordination

    Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • Stamina

    Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

  • Gross Body Equilibrium

    Keeping your balance or staying upright.

  • Perceptual Speed

    Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

  • Oral Expression

    Communicating by speaking.

  • Speech Clarity

    Speaking clearly.

  • Problem Sensitivity

    Noticing when problems happen.

  • Number Facility

    Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

  • Hearing Sensitivity

    Telling the difference between sounds.

  • Dynamic Strength

    Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

  • Wrist-Finger Speed

    Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

  • Rate Control

    Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

  • Finger Dexterity

    Putting together small parts with your fingers.

  • Mathematical Reasoning

    Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

  • Originality

    Creating new and original ideas.

  • Speed of Limb Movement

    Quickly moving your arms and legs.

  • Peripheral Vision

    Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

  • Reaction Time

    Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

  • Response Orientation

    Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

  • Written Comprehension

    Reading and understanding what is written.

  • Flexibility of Closure

    Seeing hidden patterns.

Knowledge

  • Administrative

    Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

  • Design

    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • Chemistry

    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

  • Computers and Electronics

    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • English Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Education and Training

    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • Public Safety and Security

    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

  • Economics and Accounting

    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

  • Sales and Marketing

    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • Sociology and Anthropology

    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

  • Foreign Language

    Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • Fine Arts

    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • Psychology

    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

  • Therapy and Counseling

    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

  • Production and Processing

    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

  • Engineering and Technology

    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

  • Mechanical

    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • Mathematics

    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

  • Law and Government

    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

  • Medicine and Dentistry

    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

  • Customer and Personal Service

    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

  • Geography

    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

  • Food Production

    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

  • Building and Construction

    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

  • History and Archeology

    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

  • Philosophy and Theology

    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

  • Communications and Media

    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

  • Telecommunications

    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • Personnel and Human Resources

    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

  • Biology

    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

  • Administration and Management

    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

  • Transportation

    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

  • Physics

    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

Career Video

Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

Pay

  • Typical Salary
  • $83,370
    $62,940
    $39,220
    Ohio
    US
    $102,680
    $60,850
    $38,030
  • Typical Hourly Wage
  • $40
    $30
    $19
    Ohio
    US
    $49
    $29
    $18

Ohio Employment Trends

  • Currently Employed 4,310
  • Yearly Projected Openings 390

Typical Education

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Initiative
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Cooperation
  • Persistence

Tools

  • Acoustic ear muffs or defenders
  • Adjustable widemouth pliers
  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Air velocity and temperature monitors
  • Ammeters
  • Angle grinder
  • Awls
  • Ball peen hammer
  • Bolt cutters
  • C clamps
  • Calipers
  • Caulking guns
  • Chalk lines
  • Cold chisels
  • Compasses
  • Deburring tool
  • Desktop computers
  • Dial indicator or dial gauge
  • Dollies
  • Drill press or radial drill
  • End cut pliers
  • Explosimeters
  • Flowmeters
  • Furnace soldering machine
  • Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
  • Goggles
  • Hacksaw
  • Hammers
  • Hard hats
  • Hex keys
  • Hoists
  • Hydraulic hand crimp tool
  • Hydraulic press brake
  • Hydraulic press frames
  • Hygrometers
  • Impact wrenches
  • Ladders
  • Laser cutting machine
  • Laser printers
  • Leak testing equipment
  • Level sensors or transmitters
  • Levels
  • Locking pliers
  • Manometers
  • Manual press brake
  • Metal band sawing machine
  • Metal cutters
  • Metal folding machine
  • Metal inert gas welding machine
  • Micrometers
  • Mill saw file
  • Multimeters
  • Nibblers
  • Nut drivers
  • Ohmmeters
  • Oxygen gas analyzers
  • Personal computers
  • Pipe or tube cutter
  • Pipe reamer
  • Plasma arc welding machine
  • Plumb bobs
  • Pneumatic hammer
  • Pneumatic impact wrenches
  • Pneumatic riveter
  • Positioning jig
  • Power buffers
  • Power drills
  • Power routers
  • Power sanders
  • Power saws
  • Pressure indicators
  • Protective coveralls
  • Protective gloves
  • Protractors
  • Psychrometers
  • Punches or nail sets or drifts
  • Remote reading thermometers
  • Rivet tools
  • Rolling press
  • Safety glasses
  • Sawing machines
  • Scaffolding
  • Scales
  • Screwdrivers
  • Scribers
  • Shears
  • Sheet metal forming machine
  • Sheet metal grooving machine
  • Sheet metal pliers
  • Single gas monitors
  • Slings
  • Socket sets
  • Spot welding machine
  • Squares
  • Stencils or lettering aids
  • Straight edges
  • T squares
  • Tachometers
  • Tape measures
  • Templates
  • Thermographs
  • Threading die hand tool
  • Threading taps
  • Tinners snips
  • Tongs
  • Trim press
  • Tungsten inert gas welding machine
  • Turning machines
  • Voltage or current meters
  • Welding generator
  • Welding masks
  • Welding or cutting tip
  • Wire cutters

Technology

  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
  • Office suite software
  • Operating system software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software

Tags

  • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
  • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
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