The #1 High School and University Resource for B.C. Students
Metal Fabricator

Metal fabricators (fitters) are individuals who work with ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including plate and structural steel sections, to produce or repair component parts for bridges, buildings, towers, platforms, steel stairs and hand rails or other assemblies and structures made from steel. Individuals in this occupational group can be found employed in structural steel and manufacturing plants as well as in heavy machinery and ship building companies. They may be requested to fabricate pressure vessels, structural steel, boilers, tanks, shells, chutes, hoppers, stacks and other heavy steel components on a custom-made basis and often includes the fitting and installation of components for process equipment.

Metal fabricators (fitters) will be further called upon to perform some or all of the following duties: blueprint reading, planning and preparing jobs, mechanical drafting for pattern development, fabricating components, assembling components and installing components.

Metal fabricators must be able to use a variety of hand or power tools and specialized machinery. The occupation requires, above average spatial perception, good co-ordination, mechanical aptitude and manual dexterity, knowledge of related mathematics and workplace regulations. Other essential skills are: the ability to interpret drawings, to develop a logical sequence of operations and to layout and mark steel for cutting, burning, sawing, shearing, punching, rolling, bending and drilling, shaping, forming, straightening; then fitting and assembling these components. Metal fabrication includes welding, bolting, riveting, testing, inspecting, priming, painting, rigging, and handling of subcomponents and the final product.

Related occupations in all parts of Canada include ironworkers, welders and b oilermakers. Occupational colleagues to metal fabricators include estimators, structural-steel draughtsman (detailers) and sheet metal workers who prepare shop drawings for structures using structural and plate steel to fabricate integral parts, and welders who, using various welding equipment, weld the assemblies together after fabrication.

Recently Added Resources
  • The Canadian Nursing Students' Association

    The Canadian Nursing Students Association (CNSA) is the voice of nursing students in Canada. For over thirty years, CNSA has represented the interests of nursing students to federal, provincial, and international governments and to other nursing and health care organizations. More >

  • Alberta Volunteer Centres

    Banff Volunteer Centre 302 Buffalo Street, Box 5148 Banff AB, T1L 1G3 Telephone: 403.762.4466 Fax: 403.762.4463 info@volunteerbanff.ab.ca www.volunteerbanff.ab.ca Volunteer Calgary Suite 1170, Kahanoff Centre 1202 Centre St SE Calgary, AB T2G 5A5 Telephone: 403.265.5633 Fax: 403.265.8981 info@volunteercalgary.ab.ca www.volunteercalgary.ab.ca Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District 3, 4516 รข?? 54 Street Camrose,... More >

  • Sprinkler System Installer

    The occupational title "Sprinkler System Installer" defines persons who, because of their knowledge, training and abilities, are capable of installing, testing, maintaining, and repairing fire protection systems. Sprinkler System Installers are usually, but not exclusively, found in industrial, institutional, commercial, and residential situations, such as: plants, factories, office buildings, hotels,... More >

  • Ironworker (Structural/Ornamental)

    Ironworkers (structural/ornamental) install and reinforce structural/ornamental steel components, precast structural concrete members and glued laminated timber products (glulam) in commercial, industrial, institutional and large residential buildings, towers, bridges and stadiums. They erect pre-engineered buildings and ornamental ironwork such as curtain walls, metal stairways, catwalks, railings and metal doors. They also... More >

  • Financial Support for skills training to Employment Insurance eligible individuals

    Am I eligible for participation in Skills Development? To be eligible for participation in Skills Development (SD), you must be an unemployed individual ("insured participant") as defined by Section 58 of the Employment Insurance Act. This means that you are an individual for whom: a) an unemployment benefit period has... More >

  • Pascal, Cayley and Fermat Math Contests

    The Pascal, Cayley and Fermat math competitions are an opportunity for students to have fun and to develop their mathematical problem solving ability. Details are available in the full information brochure. More >

  • National Health Sciences Students' Association

    The National Health Sciences Students' Association was established in 2005 and is the first national interprofessional student association in the world. NaHSSA is a network of local university and college-based chapters that promote interprofessional education and practice within Canada. NaHSSA enables students to advocate for and learn from this form... More >

  • Canadian Architecture Students Association

    Canadian Architecture Students Association is a non-profit organization who is composed of a collection of students across the nation who are committed to being the voice of the architectural student body across Canada. This Association, though often besieged by geography, experiment and discover new methods of communication without bounds. They... More >