How to become a sheet metal worker
Official title: Sheet metal workers
Also called: Sheet metal roofer, Sheet metal worker, Sheet metal mechanic, Sheet metal installer, Sheet metal fabricator, Sheet metal model maker, Sheet metal patternmaker, Sheet metal work erector, Sheet metal lay-out worker, Metal furniture model maker, Tinsmith - sheet metal work, Fitter - sheet metal working
Sheet metal workers fabricate, assemble, install and repair sheet metal products. They are employed by sheet metal fabrication shops, sheet metal products manufacturing companies, sheet metal work contractors and various industrial sectors. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Read engineering and architectural drawings, sketches and work specifications to be performed, and lay out, measure and mark sheet metal according to drawings or templates
- Develop patterns for sheet metal using computer-assisted design and drafting (CAD) software package
- Operate light metalworking machines such as shears, brakes, punches, and drill presses, including computer numerical control (CNC) equipment to cut, bend, punch, drill, shape or straighten sheet metal
- Operate computerized laser or plasma cutting equipment to cut sheet metal
- Install and use rigging and hoisting equipment
- Fit and join sheet metal parts using riveting, welding, soldering and similar equipment to fabricate products such as ventilation shafts, exhaust hoods, eavestroughs, partition frames, air and heat ducts, material handling systems, roof decking and sheet metal buildings
- Install sheet metal products according to specifications and building codes
- Grind and buff seams, joints and rough surfaces
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three to five year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in sheet metal working is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for sheet metal workers is compulsory in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories. Trade certification for precision sheet metal set-up operator is available, but voluntary in Quebec. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified sheet metal workers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. Completion of a three to five year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in sheet metal working is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Red Seal endorsement is available. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $66,437 a year The middle half earn $51,500 to $83,850.
- About 13,900 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 15,000 are projected by 2033. (+7.9%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: moderate risk of shortage.
Related jobs
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- Tool and die makers
- Boilermakers
- Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
- Ironworkers
- Welders and related machine operators
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Questions people ask
How do I become a sheet metal worker?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three to five year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in sheet metal working is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for sheet metal workers is compulsory in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories. Trade certification for precision sheet metal set-up operator is available, but voluntary in Quebec. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified sheet metal workers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
How much does a sheet metal worker earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $66,437 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $51,500 to $83,850.
Is a sheet metal worker a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2033, from about 13,900 to about 15,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a sheet metal worker?
Usually not. Only 3% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Red Seal trade.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03