Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
Production
Computes and marks the lines, holes, curves, and weld symbols on metal or plastic stock so later cutting, drilling, bending, and welding have a guide. Plans come from blueprints and templates, using trigonometry plus knowledge of heat effects and metal properties; compasses, protractors, and rules set locations, while scribes, punches, height gauges, and dial indicators place center lines and check alignments. Some of the work is structural—plates, bulkheads, frames—and fabricated parts are fitted and aligned before welding or assembly. Workpieces are lifted onto surface plates by hand or hoist. Suits people who like applied math, careful marking, and transferring a drawing onto real stock.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$63'870
Median Wage Market Position
$63'870
What you might do
- Mark lines, holes, and weld symbols on stock
- Plan the sequence of cuts, bends, and welds
- Lay out structural plates, bulkheads, and frames
- Verify center lines with gauges and indicators
- Fit and align parts for welding or assembly
- Position workpieces on plates using hoists
Skills that matter
- Computing layout dimensions from blueprints
- Scribing cut lines and welding symbols
- Sequencing cuts, bends, and weld steps
- Fitting fabricated parts for assembly
- Verifying center lines with height gauges
- Using trigonometry to plan metal layouts
AI & the future of this role
Digital design and automated nesting tools may take over much of the measuring and marking once done by hand. Complex fittings and on-site adjustments still call for spatial judgment, yet software keeps shrinking the share of purely manual layout.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details