Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, milling and engraving machines, and jig borers to make working models of metal or plastic objects. Includes template makers.
Most important skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Monitoring
- Equipment Selection
- Troubleshooting
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key knowledge
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer and Personal Service
What the work involves
- Study blueprints, drawings, and sketches to determine material dimensions, required equipment, and operations sequences.
- Set up and operate machines, such as lathes, drill presses, punch presses, or bandsaws, to fabricate prototypes or models.
- Inspect and test products to verify conformance to specifications, using precision measuring instruments or circuit testers.
- Cut, shape, and form metal parts, using lathes, power saws, snips, power brakes and shears, files, and mallets.
- Lay out and mark reference points and dimensions on materials, using measuring instruments and drawing or scribing tools.
- Drill, countersink, and ream holes in parts and assemblies for bolts, screws, and other fasteners, using power tools.
- Grind, file, and sand parts to finished dimensions.
- Record specifications, production operations, and final dimensions of models for use in establishing operating standards and procedures.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (41% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (39.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (41.6%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Model Makers, 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 98% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Occasional contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 99% of occupations compared | 86% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 91% of occupations compared | 37% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 71% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | High | Higher on time pressure than 78% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 97% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 82% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Low | Lower on consequence of error than 77% of occupations compared | 40% of surveyed respondents chose “Not serious at all” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: high
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: low
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: 36.33%
- Contact with others about half the time: 28.65%
- Contact with others most of the time: 2.85%
- Constant contact with others: 32.17%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 86.31%
- Fairly important: 0.49%
- Important: 10.07%
- Very important: 2.47%
- Extremely important: 0.66%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 9.7%
- Fairly important: 10.07%
- Important: 36.96%
- Very important: 11.1%
- Extremely important: 32.17%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 20.15%
- Limited freedom: 14.12%
- Some freedom: 21.17%
- A lot of freedom: 44.56%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 3.96%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 11.67%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 40.94%
- Every day: 43.43%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Conflict situations
- Never: 43.16%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 33.7%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 11.25%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 11.89%
- Every day: 0%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 26.93%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 39.02%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 23.97%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 0%
- Every day: 10.07%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 39.76%
- Fairly serious: 21.93%
- Serious: 18.17%
- Very serious: 0%
- Extremely serious: 20.15%
n = 19, Incumbent 08/2025
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O*NET-SOC 51-4061.00 · SOC 51-4061 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8