7233-NOC

Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters

(NOC 72104)
Annual Earnings
$66,906
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
480

Career Overview

Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters fabricate, assemble, fit and install steel or other metal components for buildings, bridges, tanks, towers, boilers, pressure vessels and other similar structures and products.

People in this occupation:

  • Are employed in structural steel, boiler and platework fabrication plants
  • Also may be employed by heavy machinery manufacturing companies and enterprises that build and repair ships
  • Are typically on their feet throughout the day and sometimes need to lift or position heavy loads, so the work is physically demanding
  • Should be comfortable working at heights
  • Must pay close attention to detail and exercise absolute precision in order to create safe structures

Duties

Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Study engineering drawings and blueprints, determine the materials required and plan the order of tasks to cut metal most efficiently
  • Construct patterns and templates as guides for layouts
  • Lay out reference points and patterns on heavy metal according to component specifications
  • Rig, hoist and move materials to storage areas or within worksite
  • Assemble and fit metal sections and plates to form complete units or subunits using tack welding, bolting, riveting or other methods
  • Set up and operate various heavy-duty metalworking machines such as brake presses, shears, cutting torches, grinders and drills, including computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill or otherwise form heavy metal components
  • Install fabricated components in final product

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

$66,906

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$44.00/hr
Median$32.08/hr
Low$21.50/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,635

% Employed Full Time

69%
Source: 2021 Census

Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters typically work a standard 40-hour workweek. However, some shops and factories require employees to do shift work. Large-scale structural metal projects may require workers to relocate to worksites for extended periods of time.

Workers involved in project-based construction may experience periods of unemployment between construction jobs.

Structural metal workers generally work outside in all kinds of weather. However, because of safety risks, those who work at great heights do not work during wet, icy or extremely windy conditions. Safety equipment (such as safety belts, scaffolding and nets) is used to minimize risk of injury.

Workers who fabricate structural metal in fabricating shops or factories work indoors where it may be dirty and noisy, with strong odours. Although these labourers work a lot with steel, an increasing amount of work is being done with other metals, such as stainless steel, aluminum and titanium.

This kind of work can be physical in nature, since workers have to do considerable bending, lifting, standing, climbing and squatting. In addition, workers often have to position and attach heavy metal components.

Career Pathways

Some structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters may also be certified as skilled welders. Progression to 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

Job Titles

Metal fabricator
Plater
Platework fitter
Shipfitter
Shipfitter apprentice
Steel fabricator
Structural steel fitter

Education, Training and Skills

Completion of Grade 10 is required, but completion of Grade 12 is preferred. Other training and requirements may include:

  • Completion of Principles or Applications of Math 11 or Apprenticeship and Workplace Math 11
  • Completion of an apprenticeship program or a combination of several years of work experience and some college or industry courses in metal fabrication (fitting) for trade certification

Trade certification is not required to be a metal fabricator (fitter) in B.C., but workers with certification will likely have more job opportunities.

SkilledTradesBC offers a four-year apprenticeship program for metal fabricators (fitters). Apprenticeship programs:

  • May begin in secondary school, through entry-level training programs at colleges and technical institutes, or through direct entry to the workplace
  • Involve a combination of work experience and technical training
  • Require workers to find a sponsor employer who is willing to participate in the program

Interprovincial Standards Red Seal certification is available to metal fabricators (fitters) through SkilledTradesBC. This allows holders to work in any province or territory. Once individuals pass the final examination in their accredited training program, they will achieve certification and will automatically receive Red Seal qualification.

Metal fabricators with 9,600 hours of documented, directly related work experience can challenge the Interprovincial Red Seal examination. For more information, please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca/.

Those who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.

For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.

Contact SkilledTradesBC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.

For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.

View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Sheet Metal Related
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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!

Critical Thinking

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

51%
Operations Monitoring

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

51%
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.

50%
Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

50%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

49%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

49%
Monitoring

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

47%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

47%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

45%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

44%

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

1,635
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 75 4.6%
Kootenay 45 2.8%
Mainland/Southwest 1,100 67.5%
North Coast and Nechako 10 0.6%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 160 9.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 230 14.1%
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 (2023-2033)

480
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 (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 10 0.2%
Kootenay 0 -1.6%
Mainland/Southwest 330 0.1%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 50 0.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 90 0.9%
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 (2023-2033)
Manufacturing330
Construction40
Repair, Personal And Non-Profit Services40
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services20
Wholesale Trade20
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Of the opportunities that arise in the coming years, it is expected that more than half will result from new job creation.

While the Construction industry is a much smaller employer of workers in this occupation, it does offer work opportunities. Government funding for capital projects has also been an important source of construction employment. For example, the 2010 Olympic Games created demand for structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters to build sports complexes, transportation facilities and the new trade and convention centre. Major investments are also planned and underway in B.C.'s transportation infrastructure, including roads, rails, ferries, bridges, ports and airports.

In recent years, work has been declining in Canada’s Manufacturing industry. Falling exports and increasing imports of goods from other countries are the likely cause, influenced by the strong Canadian dollar and the depressed currencies of some countries.

British Columbia manufacturers are, for the most part, small- and medium-sized companies that serve specialized markets. They are vulnerable to economic impacts faced by Canadian firms as a whole.

Within the Manufacturing industry, Shipbuilding and Ship Repair is a significant sector for structural metal platework fabricators and fitters jobs. Some activity in this sector has moved offshore to take advantage of low-cost suppliers. However, there are still some specialty niches in the province.

Resources