If you derive satisfaction from working with your hands and creating big, marvellous things out of literally nothing, then there’s no better career than sheet metal fabrication. Being a metal fabricator is a profession, a calling that requires you to pay attention to details and be willing to work and continuously learn at the same time.
Metalwork jobs are in high demand now. Despite the growing unemployment rate and increasing digitization, there’s still a growing demand for skilled metalworkers in the manufacturing and construction industries. There’s always plenty of room for innovation. From the automobile to the building and transport industry, agriculture, aviation, and much more, opportunities abound for metal workers. The surge in modern fabrication technologies is still not enough to ebb this flow. If you’ve chosen to go through the path of a metal fabrication career, here are the top job opportunities available in NZ.
Top Sheet Metal Fabrication Jobs In New Zealand
One of the exciting parts of becoming a professional metalworker is the many options available to you. Although gaining enough certification and skills in a particular area is excellent, having a little knowledge about more sectors will always be beneficial. Some of the very trendy fabrication jobs in NZ include,
Metallurgist
Metallurgists are well-versed in all kinds of metal materials. They are trained to understand the different metals, their properties, and their applications in various scenarios. They also rank in one of the highest positions in the metal fabrication world. Being a metallurgist qualifies you to work in different industries, especially ones that have to do with commercial goods and services. There are many sub-positions available for qualified metallurgists. You can choose to become a chemical, physical, or process metallurgist.
Construction Superintendent/Construction Manager
The post of a superintendent or manager in any sector is a bigshot office that calls for a higher level of professionalism and a vast knowledge base. Becoming versatile and arming yourself with many years as a professional metal fabricator can see you in one of these positions.
As a metal fabricator, becoming a manager or superintendent gives you the room to supervise and train many other metal fabricators on proper fabrication processes and techniques to achieve a target end product that will meet customers’ needs.
Sheet Metal Fabricator
Sheet metal fabrication is a broad and straightforward metal fabrication job. As a steel metal fabricator, your job description revolves around creating machine parts or completing new products from sheet metals. You have to be able to read and interpret plans or blueprints and apply various tools in cutting, bending, shaping, and filing metal pieces to meet a specified design. As a sheet metal fabricator, you also have job opportunities in many sectors, including the aviation, automobile, and construction industries.
Also, as a sheet metal fabricator, you need to have enough knowledge and experience in using tools like shears, cutters, soldering irons, etc., and back it up with the right certification and good communication skills.
Millwright/ Mechanical Fitter
A millwright is that guy that should always be available 24/7 to ensure the smooth operation of all the types of machinery and plants in the industry. A millwright works in many industries (military, mining, automobile, construction, etc.) and does everything, from assembling to setting up machines, periodic machine maintenance, repairs, and reviewing blueprints. Besides this job requiring you always to be available, it also calls for continuous learning of new methods and more innovative technologies.
Your job as a mechanical fitter or millwright also requires that you have exceptional problem-solving skills. Many things can go wrong when measuring fittings, troubleshooting machinery, and repairing production machinery. Your ability to step up and proffer solutions is a big plus.
Boilermaker
Boilermaker plays a popular and important role in metal fabrication. As a boilermaker, your job keeps you in charge of everything boiler—assembling and installing boilers and other channels for distributing gas and liquids. It also involves shaping, bending, and sealing metals to create a tight vat according to specifications.
Plating Technician
Some nearly finished metalworks require coating before they are sent out as finished products. Your responsibility as a plating technician in a metal fabrication company involves being able to apply different materials to coat a metal part or product. Your job is to ensure that these machines (made to carry out some of these fabrication processes) are properly set up, monitor the process, ensure that everything meets the design specification and that these machines are always in good working order.
Shop Welder
Finally, the shop welder covers everything welding. Welding is an important aspect of metalworks. Your job as a welder is very delicate and calls for high precision and knowledge in using different materials and welding types.
How Much Do Metal Fabricators Make In New Zealand?
Metal fabrication is a much more fulfilling career path anyone can walk through. This career path not only opens the door for growth and advancement but comes with a comfortable paycheck.
Your career walks into becoming a professional metal fabricator will require you to get several certifications, skills, and on-the-job experience. It calls for both a practical and theoretical understanding of the job at hand. While some fabrication tasks can be handled using specialised equipment and automated machinery, some jobs still need to be done with bare hands.