Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Controlling Machines and Processes Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Handling and Moving Objects Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanised Devices, or Equipment Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanised equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

The Work

Metal fabricators cut and shape steel with the aid of oxy-acetylene equipment and powerful guillotines. They bend and fold steel using powerful brake presses to produce a wide range of steel products. Grinding, shot blasting and galvanising are techniques used in the finishing of heavy metal products.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
• Align and fit parts according to specifications, using jacks, turnbuckles, wedges, drift pins, pry bars, and hammers.
• Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
• Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
• Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.
• Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.
• Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
• Tack-weld fitted parts together.
• Lift or move materials and finished products, using large cranes.
• Remove high spots and cut bevels, using hand files, portable grinders, and cutting torches.

Further Information

• Metal Fabricator - from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Apprenticeship Route

The official entry route for a Metal Fabricator is through undertaking an apprenticeship.

Click here to find information on the Metal Fabrication apprenticeship

There are many pathways to developing skills & qualifications to progress as a metal fabricator. 

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship  Engineering operations & Technology, welding fabrication, original equipment manufacture & -technoogy operations NFQ level 5  search FET centre Traineeship options 

FET Centre Post leaving cert  Engineering & pre appernticeship courses at NFQ level 5 Search our FET PLC coursefinder

Metal Fabrication Apprenticeship NFQ level 6 Search apprenticeship

How to become an Apprentice. You must obtain employment as an apprentice in your chosen occupation. The employer must be approved to train apprentices. The employer must register you as an apprentice within two weeks of recruitment.

In certain crafts, apprenticeship applicants are required to pass a colour vision test approved by SOLAS.

Apprenticeship entry requirements

The minimum age at which the employment of an apprentice may commence is 16 years of age. The minimum educational requirements are:

1. Grade D in five subjects in the Department of Education & Skills Junior Certificate Examination or an approved equivalent, or

2. The successful completion of an approved Pre-Apprenticeship course

or 3. Three years’ work experience gained over sixteen years of age in a relevant designated industrial activity as SOLAS shall deem acceptable.

It should be noted that these are the current approved minimum educational requirements for apprenticeship programmes, however, previous experience of the following subjects would be an advantage but not essential: Metalwork, Physics, Engineering, Technology, Mathematics and Technical Drawing/Graphics

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €28k - €50k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Payscale/ Indeed / Morgan McKinley/ Osborne/ Clark/ Excel

Last Updated: March, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This occupation has been identified as a Job in Demand by the most recent National Skills Bulletin.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Despite declines in 2020 and 2021, the five-year annual average employment growth was strong (6%), with employment levels for this occupational group reaching their highest levels to date. The demand for welders has persisted, with employers (Skills for Growth) and the Recruitment Agency Survey both citing welding positions as difficult to fill, typically for roles requiring MIG/TIG and arc welding skills or for the machinery manufacturing sector. Job vacancies advertised through the DSP included welder/fabricators, pipefitters, and sheet metal workers/fabricators, while online job adverts, although small in number, grew by 16% year-on-year, driven by increases for sheet metal workers. Employment permits related to welders/fabricators, pipe fitters and, to a lesser extent, sheet metal workers.

Output from the further education and training system has increased in recent years: compared to pre-COVID levels (in 2019), the number of industry and craft awards in welding and metal fabrication grew by 388 and 77 awards, to reach nearly 1,600 and 145 awards respectively. Smaller numbers of awards were made to qualifying apprentices in pipefitting and sheet metal working (combined 38 awards in 2022).

Recent growth in the number of new apprentice registrations in metal fabrication, pipefitting and sheet metal working are expected to lead to further increased output for these occupations in the medium term. The SOC classification system does not capture the extent of the merging of skills in these roles; welder, fabricator and even pipe fitter skills are merging which span both this and the occupation below. Although welders are employed across sectors, shortages are particularly emerging for qualified and experienced welders/fabricators in industry including high tech.

• Engineers Ireland

  • 22 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge Dublin 4
  • (01) 665 1300
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