Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
Lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Includes shipfitters.
Most important skills
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operations Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key knowledge
- Mathematics
- Design
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Engineering and Technology
- English Language
- Building and Construction
- Administration and Management
What the work involves
- Fit and align fabricated parts to be welded or assembled.
- Plan and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, design, effects of heat, and properties of metals.
- Lay out and fabricate metal structural parts such as plates, bulkheads, and frames.
- Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.
- Compute layout dimensions, and determine and mark reference points on metal stock or workpieces for further processing, such as welding and assembly.
- Locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, height gauges, and dial indicators.
- Lift and position workpieces in relation to surface plates, manually or with hoists, and using parallel blocks and angle plates.
- Plan locations and sequences of cutting, drilling, bending, rolling, punching, and welding operations, using compasses, protractors, dividers, and rules.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Artistic.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (60% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (55%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (26.5%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 2: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 86% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 89% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 91% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 89% of occupations compared | 41% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 95% of occupations compared | 66% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Moderate | Higher on conflict situations than 55% of occupations compared | 26% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 67% of occupations compared | 30% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | High | Higher on consequence of error than 62% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Very serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: moderate
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 28.52%
- Contact with others about half the time: 11.33%
- Contact with others most of the time: 15.03%
- Constant contact with others: 45.13%
n = 20, Incumbent 08/2018
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 42.25%
- Fairly important: 22.03%
- Important: 16.26%
- Very important: 11.33%
- Extremely important: 8.13%
n = 20, Incumbent 08/2018
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 14.74%
- Fairly important: 6.58%
- Important: 18.57%
- Very important: 37.19%
- Extremely important: 22.92%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2018
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 8.59%
- Very little freedom: 1.69%
- Limited freedom: 35.63%
- Some freedom: 41.11%
- A lot of freedom: 12.99%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2018
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 0%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 1.62%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 32.66%
- Every day: 65.71%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2018
Conflict situations
- Never: 13.85%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 26.17%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 24.75%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 25.5%
- Every day: 9.73%
n = 20, Incumbent 08/2018
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 26.55%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 30.22%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 17.17%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 18.55%
- Every day: 7.51%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2018
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 11.75%
- Fairly serious: 20.56%
- Serious: 10.27%
- Very serious: 45.46%
- Extremely serious: 11.96%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2018
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O*NET-SOC 51-4192.00 · SOC 51-4192 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8