Gain metalworking experience by taking a shop class at your school. If your school doesn't offer it, try a community college or see if you can intern or interview someone at a local metal shop.

Take a metal shop class.

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Watch this video to learn more about the process of transforming raw materials into steel. Which part of the process do you find most interesting?

Learn more about the steelmaking process.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Pourers and Casters, Metal

Operate hand-controlled mechanisms to pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds to produce castings or ingots.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Metal Furnace Operators, Tenders, Pourers, and Casters

Production Occupations

Metal Workers and Plastic Workers

Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.

Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.

Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.

Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.

Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.

Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.

Position equipment such as ladles, grinding wheels, pouring nozzles, or crucibles, or signal other workers to position equipment.

Skim slag or remove excess metal from ingots or equipment, using hand tools, strainers, rakes, or burners, collecting scrap for recycling.

Transport metal ingots to storage areas, using forklifts.

Assemble and embed cores in casting frames, using hand tools and equipment.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Husky Injection Molding Systems Shotscope NX

Lubricant pumpers

Lubricant reciprocators

Electric arc furnaces

Electric tilt furnaces

Automatic ladles

Hand ladles

Open-hearth furnaces

Oxygen furnaces

Cold chamber die casting machines

Hot chamber die casting machines

Dross hoes

Slag scrappers

Handheld pneumatic grinders

Chain falls

Acetylene torches

Protective glasses

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Every day

How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Never

How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?

Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings

Number of hours typically worked in one week.

How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?

Once a week or more but not every day

Once a month or more but not every week

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

Once a year or more but not every month

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

About half the time

How much does this job require making repetitive motions?

Pourers and Casters, Metal

Overview

Career

What Pourers and Casters, Metal Do

Other Job Titles Pourers and Casters, Metal May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Pourers and Casters, Metal

Overview

Career

What Pourers and Casters, Metal Do

Other Job Titles Pourers and Casters, Metal May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Pourers and Casters, Metal