Welding is a valuable skill in many industries. Gain hands-on training by taking a class at your school or in your community. If you're not sure where to start, try your local community college!

Take a welding class.

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Model Makers and Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Production Occupations

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers

Verify conformance of patterns or template dimensions to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, scales, and micrometers.

Set up and operate machine tools, such as milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and grinders, to machine castings or patterns.

Repair and rework templates and patterns.

Assemble pattern sections, using hand tools, bolts, screws, rivets, glue, or welding equipment.

Read and interpret blueprints or drawings of parts to be cast or patterns to be made, compute dimensions, and plan operational sequences.

Construct platforms, fixtures, and jigs for holding and placing patterns.

Clean and finish patterns or templates, using emery cloths, files, scrapers, and power grinders.

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Overview

Career

What Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Do

Other Job Titles Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Overview

Career

What Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic Do

Other Job Titles Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers