Assemblers and Fabricators

How to become a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator

Official title: Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Also called: Boat Builder, Boat Carpenter, Chopper Gun Operator, Fiberglass Laminator, Fiberglass Technician, Fiberglasser, Gel-Coater, Lamination Technician, Laminator, Roller

Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.

Main tasks

Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.
Trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.

How to become one

The education and qualifications typically needed to enter these occupations vary by industry and employer. Although a high school diploma is enough for most jobs, experience and training are needed for advanced assembly work.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Composite Fitter Mechanic.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $46,880 a year The middle half earn $39,430 to $54,490.
About 16,300 people work in this job now, and about 17,000 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator?

How much does a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $46,880 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,430 to $54,490.

Is a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 16,300 to about 17,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator?

Usually not. Only 9% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Composite Fitter Mechanic.

Will AI change the work of a Fiberglass Laminator or Fabricator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.