These days almost any product you buy at a store had its finishing touches put on by an assembler. Assemblers and fabricators construct finished products and the parts that go into them. They use tools, machines, and their hands to make a wide variety of products, in many different settings. Assemblers and fabricators typically specialize. For example: Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers use bolts, rivets and soldering equipment to build parts of products like motors, computers, and sensing equipment that require the soft touch and fine motor skills of human hands. Fiberglass laminators and fabricators apply layers of fiberglass on molds to form structures for boats, cars, and other products. They wear respirators and protective clothing for safety. Most assemblers and fabricators work in manufacturing plants, where difficult tasks may be automated or aided by power tools. However, assembly work can still involve long periods of standing, sitting, or working on ladders. While some jobs involve exposure to chemicals or fumes… ventilation systems generally minimize harmful effects. Although a high school diploma or equivalent and on-the-job training are enough for most jobs, experience and additional education or training is needed for more advanced assembly work.
What they do:
Work as part of a team having responsibility for assembling an entire product or component of a product. Team assemblers can perform all tasks conducted by the team in the assembly process and rotate through all or most of them, rather than being assigned to a specific task on a permanent basis. May participate in making management decisions affecting the work. Includes team leaders who work as part of the team.
On the job, you would:
Perform quality checks on products and parts.
Review work orders and blueprints to ensure work is performed according to specifications.
Rotate through all the tasks required in a particular production process.
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
manufacture and distribution of products
Engineering and Technology
mechanical
computers and electronics
Safety and Government
public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
English language
Basic Skills
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
put together small parts with your fingers
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Cooperation
Self Control
Dependability
Initiative
Achievement/Effort
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
SAP software
high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.