Assemblers and Fabricators: Jobs, Career, Salary and Education Information
Assemblers and Fabricators
What They Do: Assemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them.
Work Environment: Most assemblers and fabricators work in manufacturing plants. Some of the work may involve long periods of standing or sitting. Most work full time, and they sometimes work evenings and weekends.
How to Become One: The education level and qualifications needed to enter these jobs varies with the industry and employer. Although a high school diploma is enough for most jobs, experience and additional training are needed for more advanced assembly work.
Salary: The median annual wage for assemblers and fabricators is $37,170.
Job Outlook: Overall employment of assemblers and fabricators is projected to decline 6 percent over the next ten years.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of assemblers and fabricators with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as an assemblers and fabricator with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Assembler and Fabricator Jobs
Metal Door and Window Assembler/Fabricator - Design Synthesis Inc - San Diego, CA
Architectural Millwork/Woodworker/ Fabricator . Should be proficient with assembly, glazing, and window/door fabrication. Entry to journeyman full-time positions available. Company Description For over ...
Qualified Installer/Assembler and Fabricator - Demo Studz, Inc. - Anaheim, CA
We are seeking a Qualified Installer/ Assembler And Fabricator to become an integral part of our team! You will perform assembly line tasks as well as identify areas of improvement to increase ...
Trailer Manufacturing -Fabricator/Assembler/Welder - Tarps & Tie-Downs Inc - Fresno, CA
Job description - Fresno based Semi-Trailer manufacturer seeking fabricator / assembler /welder. - Experience in Semi-Trailer or Van body manufacturing or repair helpful - 25% welding, 75% assembly
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What Assemblers and Fabricators Do[About this section] [To Top]
Assemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them. They use tools, machines, and their hands to make engines, computers, aircraft, ships, boats, toys, electronic devices, control panels, and more.
Duties of Assemblers and Fabricators
Assemblers and fabricators typically do the following:
Read and understand schematics and blueprints
Position or align components and parts either manually or with hoists
Use hand tools or machines to assemble parts
Conduct quality control checks
Clean and maintain work area, tools, and other equipment
Assemblers and fabricators have an important role in the manufacturing process. They assemble both finished products and the pieces that go into them. The products encompass a full range of manufactured goods, including aircraft, toys, household appliances, automobiles, computers, and electronic devices.
Changes in technology have transformed the manufacturing and assembly process. Modern manufacturing systems use robots, computers, programmable motion-control devices, and various sensing technologies. These technological changes affect the way in which goods are made and the jobs of those who make them. Advanced assemblers must be able to work with these new technologies and use them to manufacture goods.
The job of an assembler or fabricator requires a range of knowledge and skills. Skilled assemblers putting together complex machines, for example, read detailed schematics that show how to assemble the machine. After determining how parts should connect, they use hand or power tools to trim, shim, cut, and make other adjustments to fit components together. Once the parts are properly aligned, they connect them with bolts and screws, or they weld or solder pieces together.
Quality control is important throughout the assembly process, so assemblers look for faulty components and mistakes in the assembly process. They help fix problems before defective products are made.
Manufacturing techniques are moving away from traditional assembly line systems toward lean manufacturing systems, which use teams of workers to produce entire products or components. Lean manufacturing has changed the nature of the assemblers' duties.
It has become more common to involve assemblers and fabricators in product development. Designers and engineers consult manufacturing workers during the design stage to improve product reliability and manufacturing efficiency. Some experienced assemblers work with designers and engineers to build prototypes or test products.
Although most assemblers and fabricators are classified as team assemblers, others specialize in producing one type of product or perform the same or similar tasks throughout the assembly process.
The following are examples of types of assemblers and fabricators:
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles, such as the wings, fuselage, landing gear, rigging and control equipment, and heating and ventilating systems.
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers wind wire coils of electrical components used in a variety of electric and electronic products, including resistors, transformers, generators, and electric motors.
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers build products such as electric motors, computers, electronic control devices, and sensing equipment. Automated systems have been put in place because many electronic parts are too small or fragile for human assembly. Much of the work of electrical and electronic assemblers is done by hand during the small-scale production of electronic devices used in all types of aircraft, military systems, and medical equipment. Production by hand requires these workers to use devices such as soldering irons.
Electromechanical equipment assemblers assemble and modify electromechanical devices such as household appliances, computer tomography scanners, or vending machines. The workers use a variety of tools, such as rulers, rivet guns, and soldering irons.
Engine and machine assemblers construct, assemble, and rebuild engines, turbines, and machines used in automobiles, construction and mining equipment, and power generators.
Structural metal fabricators and fitters cut, align, and fit together structural metal parts and may help weld or rivet the parts together.
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, and other products.
Team assemblers work on an assembly line, but they rotate through different tasks, rather than specializing in a single task. The team may decide how the work is assigned and how different tasks are done. Some aspects of lean production, such as rotating tasks and seeking worker input on improving the assembly process, are common to all assembly and fabrication occupations.
Timing device assemblers, adjusters, and calibrators do precision assembling or adjusting of timing devices within very narrow tolerances.
Work Environment for Assemblers and Fabricators[About this section] [To Top]
Assemblers and fabricators hold about 1.8 million jobs. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up assemblers and fabricators is distributed as follows:
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators 1,367,100
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers 279,500
Structural metal fabricators and fitters 63,600
Engine and other machine assemblers 47,300
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers 34,300
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators 17,800
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers 11,400
Timing device assemblers and adjusters 600
The largest employers of assemblers and fabricators are as follows:
Transportation equipment manufacturing 25%
Temporary help services 12%
Machinery manufacturing 10%
Computer and electronic product manufacturing 9%
Fabricated metal product manufacturing 8%
Most assemblers and fabricators work in manufacturing plants, and working conditions vary by plant and by industry. Many physically difficult tasks, such as tightening massive bolts or moving heavy parts into position, have been automated or made easier through the use of power tools. Assembly work, however, may still involve long periods of standing, sitting, or working on ladders, such as in the shipbuilding industry.
Injuries and Illnesses for Assemblers and Fabricators
Some assemblers may come into contact with potentially harmful chemicals or fumes, but ventilation systems normally minimize any harmful effects. Other assemblers may come into contact with oil and grease, and their work areas may be noisy. Fiberglass laminators and fabricators are exposed to fiberglass, which may irritate the skin. Therefore, fiberglass workers must wear gloves and long sleeves and must use respirators for safety.
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. ("Miscellaneous" titles represent occupations with a wide range of characteristics that do not fit into any of the other detailed occupations.).
Assembler and Fabricator Work Schedules
Most assemblers and fabricators are employed full time. Some assemblers and fabricators work in shifts, which may require evening, weekend, and night work.
How to Become an Assembler and Fabricator[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Assemblers and Fabricators near you!
The education level and qualifications needed to enter these jobs varies with the industry and employer. Although a high school diploma is enough for most jobs, experience and additional training are needed for more advanced assembly work.
Education for Assemblers and Fabricators
Most employers require a high school diploma or equivalent for assembler and fabricator positions.
Assembler and Fabricator Training
Workers usually receive several months of on-the-job training, sometimes including employer-sponsored technical instruction.
Some employers may require specialized training or an associate's degree for the most skilled assembly and fabrication jobs. For example, jobs with electrical, electronic, and aircraft and motor vehicle products manufacturers typically require more formal education. Apprenticeship programs are also available.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Assemblers and Fabricators
The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA) offers certificates and training programs in fabrication, coil processing, and other related topics. Although not required, becoming certified can demonstrate competence and professionalism. It also may help a candidate advance in the profession.
In addition, many employers that hire electrical and electronic assembly workers, especially those employers in the aerospace and defense industries, require certifications in soldering. The Association Connecting Electronics Industries, also known as IPC, offers a number of certification programs related to electronic assembly and soldering.
Important Qualities for Assemblers and Fabricators
Color vision. Assemblers and fabricators who make electrical and electronic products must distinguish different colors, because the wires they often work with are color coded.
Dexterity. Assemblers and fabricators should have a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination, as they must grasp, manipulate, or assemble parts and components that are often very small.
Math skills. Assemblers and fabricators must know basic math and be able to use computers, because the manufacturing process continues to advance technologically.
Mechanical skills. Modern production systems require assemblers and fabricators to use programmable motion-control devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor.
Physical stamina. Assemblers and fabricators must stand for long periods and perform repetitious work.
Physical strength. Assemblers and fabricators must be strong enough to lift heavy components or pieces of machinery. Some assemblers, such as those in the aerospace industry, must frequently bend or climb ladders when assembling parts.
Technical skills. Assemblers and fabricators must understand technical manuals, blueprints, and schematics for a wide range of products and machines in order to manufacture the final product properly.
Assembler and Fabricator Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median annual wage for assemblers and fabricators is $37,170. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,420, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $58,640.
Median annual wages for assemblers and fabricators are as follows:
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers $49,480
Engine and other machine assemblers $47,440
Structural metal fabricators and fitters $45,480
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers $38,360
Timing device assemblers and adjusters $37,780
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators $37,650
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers $37,460
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators $36,590
The median annual wages for assemblers and fabricators in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
Transportation equipment manufacturing $44,980
Machinery manufacturing $37,960
Fabricated metal product manufacturing $37,400
Computer and electronic product manufacturing $37,230
Temporary help services $29,820
Wages vary by industry, geographic region, skill, education level, and complexity of the machinery operated.
Most assemblers and fabricators are employed full time and may need to work evenings and weekends.
Job Outlook for Assemblers and Fabricators[About this section] [To Top]
Overall employment of assemblers and fabricators is projected to decline 6 percent over the next ten years.
Despite declining employment, about 192,100 openings for assemblers and fabricators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
See all manufacturing jobs.
Employment of Assemblers and Fabricators
Projected employment of assemblers and fabricators varies by occupation.
In general, employment of assemblers and fabricators is projected to decline or have limited growth because many manufacturing sectors are expected to become more efficient and able to produce more with fewer workers.
In most manufacturing industries, improved processes, tools, and, in some cases, automation will reduce job growth. Increasingly, new advances in robotics have enabled machinery to perform more complex and delicate tasks previously performed by workers. In addition, assemblers and fabricators are increasing efficiency by working alongside robots, also known as "collaborative robotics," which may reduce the demand for some assemblers and fabricators.
Changes in the cost of operations both in the United States and abroad may encourage some manufacturers to bring back production that was previously sent offshore. However, because new facilities in the United States likely will incorporate more automation technologies, they may require less labor overall and may require workers to have high-level skills.
Employment projections data for Assemblers and Fabricators, 2021-31
1,821,600 1,706,700 -6 -114,900
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
34,300 27,700 -19 -6,600
Coil winders, tapers, and finishers
11,400 9,300 -18 -2,000
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
279,500 285,500 2 6,000
Engine and other machine assemblers
Structural metal fabricators and fitters
63,600 53,600 -16 -10,100
Fiberglass laminators and fabricators
Timing device assemblers and adjusters
600 500 -18 -100
Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
1,367,100 1,270,700 -7 -96,400
Careers Related to Assemblers and Fabricators[About this section] [To Top]
Boilermakers assemble, install, maintain, and repair boilers, closed vats, and other large vessels or containers that hold liquids and gases.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics and Maintenance Workers and Millwrights
Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.
Ironworkers install structural and reinforcing iron and steel to form and support buildings, bridges, and roads.
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate machines that cut, shape, and form metal and plastic materials or pieces.
Sheet metal workers fabricate or install products that are made from thin metal sheets, such as ducts used in heating and air conditioning systems.
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.
More Assembler and Fabricator Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about assemblers and fabricators, including certification, training, and professional development, visit
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International
For information about careers in manufacturing, visit
Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs
For information about certifications in electronics soldering, visit:
IPC, Association Connecting Electronics Industries


Character Education - the Long Road to Peace
It is a great honour to have this opportunity to speak at this distinguished venue. Although I have a very short time in which to speak, I would like to share with you about a project with which I was involved in Russia, China and several other countries.
I moved to Moscow, then the capital of the collapsing Soviet Union, in 1990. It was a time of much social and economic turmoil, with people asking, "What is next?" From 1994 I also began working in the People's Republic of China. As you know, China is the most populous country in the world and is undergoing massive social, political and economic changes. Due to their "one child policy," parents, educators and other concerned leaders in that society are facing a big question: How can we raise the younger generation to be selfless, when they grow up in homes as a single child? This is not a simple matter when such children are pressured to be Number 1 in everything they do.
In both Russia and China, and for different reasons, the governments were facing a crisis on the question of how to educate their youth. In the West we also face many challenges, as our nations experience spiritual crises and moral confusion. Many of you will recall how a few weeks ago in the UK there was a sudden explosion of looting and burning. Initially the authorities seemed paralysed and unable to know how to respond. After regaining their composure, the police launched a massive offensive against the looters – with courts handing out severe sentences to anyone found guilty of being involved. People began to question the wisdom of this approach – considering it an attack on the symptoms of the problem rather than the roots.
Beginning in the early 1990s, my colleagues and I at the International Educational Foundation, founded by UPF's founder, Dr. Moon, began discussions with officials at the Ministry of Education in Moscow. As a result of joint programmes, we developed a special curriculum on character education called My World and I. We were careful to integrate issues that were familiar and relevant to the local population, working with linguists and experts on culture. In the former Soviet region we paid particular attention to the multi-religious and multi-ethnic nature of the newly independent countries. Our concern was to help young people develop an appreciation of the various faiths represented in these countries – so as to avoid divisions in societies such as we saw later in the former Yugoslavia. Our distinguished speaker Dr. Schwimmer earlier today mentioned the importance of helping young people appreciate the valuable role of religion. This is exactly how we felt – not to preach, but to appreciate the valuable role played by religious and spiritual values.
Visiting China posed several challenges. In this country that was communist and officially atheist, we had to consider how to promote the concept of spiritual and moral values. Due to their Confucianist culture, however, the Chinese were very receptive to our approach. Over the ten years in which I worked in China, from 1994 to 2004, we held over 300 programmes for more than 250,000 participants on every level, from the national to the provincial to the local. I had the privilege of travelling to China over 60 times and could witness an overwhelmingly positive response from all levels of Chinese society. Unusually for China, the authorities were very accommodating in allowing us to present our ideas directly to students in all the major universities. We also co-published, together with various universities and other organisations, 43 books dealing with issues from drug abuse to the unique challenge of raising a single child.
What were the ideas that we shared? Based on a concept known as the Unification Theory of Education, we approached the concept of education from a broader concept of education for life, which includes education provided by school systems, but also goes beyond that sphere. We see education as more than just the passing on of knowledge. Rather an important aspect of education lies in developing men and women of character who can use their knowledge and skills to serve their society in addition to earning an income.
A fundamental concept in this approach sees education as a means to help people realize three fundamental "life goals." These are, firstly, becoming a person of mature character; secondly, developing relationship skills needed to establish successful relationships and family; and, thirdly, the pursuit of excellence in the academic area of study with a view to serving society.
The first goal, therefore, is to become a person of integrity – one whose words and deeds match, who practices self-control and who becomes a man or woman who can express love in an unselfish way.
Looking at the above diagram, the base refers to "Cultivation of Heart." The most fundamental place for this education lies in the experience of the family. It is also a lifelong learning experience. In UPF you will often hear us referring to the family as "the school of love." This is because it is there that one experiences all levels of love, from the child's experience through sibling, conjugal and on to parental love. As a person moves through life and experiences love in each level, he or she becomes a man or woman with a greater capacity to love and empathise. Strong and healthy families become the basis of a healthy society.
The second fundamental education one should receive is education in the area of norms and ethics. This deals with issues of how we relate to others in a way that allows for harmony and helps us to love more easily. In the Orient there is still a much greater sense of the importance of ethics in all relationships.
Thirdly, we feel it is important to encourage young people to strive for excellence in their chosen field of study. This is not just to succeed for their own sake, but also to become a person who can be an asset to society through contributing to the general welfare, based on their knowledge and skills. Academic and skills education should therefore always have a moral component. Just as a doctor pledges to uphold the Hippocratic Oath, and business education should always be accompanied by Business Ethics, students in all areas of study should be aware of the moral obligations associated with any career they choose.
Unfortunately, this inverse pyramid represents the failed approach to education which lays all emphasis on education of knowledge and skills, with little or no attention to the education of values and ethics.
To illustrate this point, I would like to conclude with a letter that was written by a headmaster in an American school. This person was a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp and understood that a good external education is not necessarily sufficient to produce a good person.
I'm a survivor of a concentration camp.
My eyes saw what no man should witness:
gas chambers built by learned engineers,
infants killed by trained nurses,
women and children shot by high school and college graduates.
So, I am suspicious of education.
My request is: Help your students become more human.
Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns.
Reading, writing and arithmetic are very important only if they serve to make our children more human.
Mr. Jack (John) Corley, UPF Chairman UK
Jack Corley was born in Ireland in 1953. Throughout the 1990s, he worked for the International Educational Foundation (IEF), a non-profit organization active in the field of character education. Until 2006, he served as both Vice President of the International Educational Foundation and Regional Secretary General of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in Eurasia. He has worked extensively in the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation developing and coordinating programs on character education. More recently, he was Assistant Secretary General of UPF International and currently serves as the director of UPF-Ireland as well as Chairman of UPF-UK.
Academic and skills education should therefore always have a moral component. Just as a business education should always be accompanied by Business Ethics, students in all areas of study should be aware of the moral obligations associated with any career they choose.