How to become a structural metal and platework fabricator or fitter
Official title: Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
Also called: Metal fabricator, Metal shipwright, Platework fitter, Steel fabricator, Marine steel fitter, Shipbuilding fitter, Platework fabricator, Fitter - shipbuilding, Structural metal fitter, Structural metal worker, Structural steel fitter, Metal fabricator (fitter)
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters fabricate, assemble, fit and install steel or other metal components for buildings, bridges, tanks, towers, boilers, pressure vessels and other similar structures and products. They are employed in structural steel, boiler and platework fabrication plants and by heavy machinery manufacturing and shipbuilding companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Study engineering drawings and blueprints, determine the materials required, and plan the sequence of tasks to cut metal most efficiently
- Construct patterns and templates as guides for layouts
- Lay out reference points and patterns on heavy metal according to component specifications
- Rig, hoist and move materials to storage areas or within worksite
- Assemble and fit metal sections and plates to form complete units or subunits using tack welding, bolting, riveting or other methods
- Set up and operate various heavy-duty metal-working machines such as brake presses, shears, cutting torches, grinders and drills, including computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill or otherwise form heavy-metal components
- Install fabricated components in final product
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in structural steel and platework fabrication is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for metal fabricators (fitters) is available, but voluntary, in all provinces. Trade certification for marine technicians is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Trade certification for piledriver and bridgeworker is available in British Columbia. Trade certification for boiler and related equipment assemblers and structural metal fabricators (non-construction) is available, but voluntary, in Quebec. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified metal fabricators (fitters) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in structural steel and platework fabrication 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: $56,550 a year The middle half earn $46,800 to $69,830.
- About 4,300 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 4,200 are projected by 2033. (-2.3%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- Tool and die makers
- Sheet metal workers
- Boilermakers
- Ironworkers
- Welders and related machine operators
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Questions people ask
How do I become a structural metal and platework fabricator or fitter?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in structural steel and platework fabrication is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. Trade certification for metal fabricators (fitters) is available, but voluntary, in all provinces. Trade certification for marine technicians is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Trade certification for piledriver and bridgeworker is available in British Columbia. Trade certification for boiler and related equipment assemblers and structural metal fabricators (non-construction) is available, but voluntary, in Quebec. Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified metal fabricators (fitters) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
How much does a structural metal and platework fabricator or fitter earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $56,550 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $46,800 to $69,830.
Is a structural metal and platework fabricator or fitter a growing career in Canada?
Employment is projected to fall 2% by 2033, from about 4,300 to about 4,200 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a structural metal and platework fabricator or fitter?
Usually not. Only 5% 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