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How exposed to AI is a Sheet Metal Worker?

Of the 24 tasks O*NET lists for sheet metal workers, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 22 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Commercial Sheet Metal Service InstallerField InstallerHVAC Sheet Metal Installer (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Installer)HVAC Sheet Metal Specialist (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Specialist)Sheet Metal FabricatorSheet Metal InstallerSheet Metal JourneymanSheet Metal Layout MechanicSheet Metal MechanicSheet Metal Worker
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
24
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of only 17
123k
people do this job in the US
25 of 61
least protected in construction

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

2
  • Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products
  • Develop or lay out patterns, using computerized metalworking equipment

Cannot be sped up

22
  • Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions
  • Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers
  • Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items
  • Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools
  • Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems
  • Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications
  • Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears
  • Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools
  • Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills
  • Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation
  • Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks
  • Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices
  • Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary
  • Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation
  • Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers
  • Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
  • Secure metal roof panels in place by interlocking and fastening grooved panel edges
  • Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
  • Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding
  • Perform sheet metal work necessary for solar panel installations
  • Install green architectural sheet metal components, such as cool roofs or hot or cold walls
  • Construct components for high-performance wind turbine systems
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET 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. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.