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.

Read about benefits of manual labor. While these points are geared toward construction, they can apply to a whole variety of manual labor careers. Does manual labor seem like a path you're interested in?

Explore the benefits of manual labor.

Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

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

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

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.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, 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 materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

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

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

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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

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.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

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

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators

Production Occupations

Assemblers and Fabricators

Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.

Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.

Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.

Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.

Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.

Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.

Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.

Trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.

Apply layers of plastic resin to mold surfaces prior to placement of fiberglass mats, repeating layers until products have the desired thicknesses and plastics have jelled.

Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Overview

Career

What Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Do

Other Job Titles Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Overview

Career

What Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators Do

Other Job Titles Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Related Careers

Related Leaders