# Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

> Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 51-4121.00
- **Summary:** Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

## Aliases

- Brazer
- Solderer
- Welder
- Wirer
- Assembly Line Brazer
- Fabrication Welder
- MIG Welder (Metal Inert Gas Welder)
- Maintenance Welder
- TIG Welder (Tungsten Inert Gas Welder)
- Welder Fitter
- Acetylene Burner
- Acetylene Cutter

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.k |
| Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.ai |
| Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors. | Core | 4.A.1.a.2.a |
| Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.ai |
| Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals. | Core | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required. | Core | 4.A.1.b.1.a |
| Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques. | Core | 4.A.2.b.1.d |
| Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.h |
| Align and clamp workpieces together, using rules, squares, or hand tools, or position items in fixtures, jigs, or vises. | Core | 4.A.3.a.2.ao |
| Melt and apply solder to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products, using soldering equipment. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.a.2.m |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Operate welding equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.ai |
| Maintain safety. | 4.A.3.a.1.k |
| Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications. | 4.A.1.b.3.a |
| Select production equipment according to product specifications. | 4.A.2.b.1.j |
| Ignite fuel to activate heating equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.m |
| Adjust equipment controls to regulate gas flow. | 4.A.3.a.2.i |
| Determine metal or plastic production methods. | 4.A.2.b.1.d |
| Monitor equipment operation to ensure that products are not flawed. | 4.A.1.a.2.a |
| Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information. | 4.A.1.b.1.a |
| Trim excess material from workpieces. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Operate grinding equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.l |
| Clean workpieces or finished products. | 4.A.3.a.1.h |
| Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production. | 4.A.3.a.2.m |
| Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly. | 4.A.3.a.2.ao |
| Design templates or patterns. | 4.A.2.b.2.k |
| Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.2.f |
| Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions. | 4.A.1.a.2.a |
| Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs. | 4.A.4.a.2.g |
| Clean production equipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Melt metal, plastic, or other materials to prepare for production. | 4.A.3.a.2.m |
| Solder parts or workpieces. | 4.A.3.a.2.ai |
| Reshape metal workpieces to established specifications. | 4.A.3.a.2.g |
| Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair. | 4.A.3.a.2.s |
| Repair parts or assemblies. | 4.A.3.b.4.b |
| Operate metal or plastic forming equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.f |
| Assemble temporary equipment or structures. | 4.A.3.a.2.a |
| Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools. | 4.A.3.a.2.g |
| Operate firefighting equipment. | 4.A.3.a.1.b |
| Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences. | 4.A.1.a.1.b |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.62 |
| Production and Processing | knowledge | 3.49 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.38 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.25 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3.25 |
| Quality Control Analysis | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.12 |
| Control Precision | ability | 3.12 |
| Mechanical | knowledge | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3 |
| Mathematics | knowledge | 2.94 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 2.88 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 2.88 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 2.88 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 2.88 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 2.88 |
| Visualization | ability | 2.88 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 2.88 |
| Far Vision | ability | 2.88 |
| English Language | knowledge | 2.87 |
| Design | knowledge | 2.82 |
| Operations Monitoring | transferable_skill | 2.75 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 2.75 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 2.75 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 2.75 |
| Depth Perception | ability | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 2.62 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 2.62 |
| Operation and Control | transferable_skill | 2.62 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 2.62 |
| Rate Control | ability | 2.62 |
| Reaction Time | ability | 2.62 |
| Static Strength | ability | 2.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | ability | 2.62 |
| Auditory Attention | ability | 2.62 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 2.62 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Windows | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| IBM Notes | Specialized Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Oracle Database | Data base user interface and query software | yes | no |
| EZ Pipe | Computer aided design CAD software | no | no |
| Fred's Tip Cartridge Picker | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| IBM Notes | Electronic mail software | no | no |
| OmniFleet Equipment Maintenance Management | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |
| Recordkeeping software | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Scientific Software Group Filter Drain FD | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |
| Value Analysis | Analytical or scientific software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 4.65 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.51 |
| Time Pressure | 4.51 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 4.36 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.35 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 4.03 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 3.96 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 3.85 |
| Contact With Others | 3.79 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 3.53 |
| Spend Time Standing | 3.52 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.47 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 3.46 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.45 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.38 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.37 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.34 |
| Physical Proximity | 3.31 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.31 |
| Consequence of Error | 3.25 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 3.19 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.16 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 3.15 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.08 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 3.07 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.02 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 2.99 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 2.82 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 2.79 |
| Level of Competition | 2.78 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 2.67 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 2.64 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 2.64 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 2.52 |
| Conflict Situations | 2.4 |
| Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection | 2.31 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 2.23 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 2.23 |
| Telephone Conversations | 2.14 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 2.09 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 53.55 |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 20.83 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 11.64 |
| Some College Courses | 11.28 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.75 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 0.94 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 7 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 5.97 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.65 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 3.45 |
| Dependability | work_style | 3 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 2.93 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 2.28 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.08 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 2.03 |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | specific_interest_area | 1.8 |
| Construction/Woodwork | specific_interest_area | 1.63 |
| Mathematics/Statistics | specific_interest_area | 1.56 |
| Enterprising | career_interest_type | 1.53 |
| Artistic | career_interest_type | 1.4 |
| Physical Science | specific_interest_area | 1.35 |
| Perseverance | work_style | 1.34 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 51-4122.00 | role-51-4122-00 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | Primary-Short |
| 51-2041.00 | role-51-2041-00 | Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters | Primary-Short |
| 51-2011.00 | role-51-2011-00 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | Primary-Short |
| 51-2031.00 | role-51-2031-00 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | Primary-Short |
| 47-2011.00 | role-47-2011-00 | Boilermakers | Primary-Short |
| 49-2092.00 | role-49-2092-00 | Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | Primary-Long |
| 51-7042.00 | role-51-7042-00 | Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | Primary-Long |
| 51-4111.00 | role-51-4111-00 | Tool and Die Makers | Primary-Long |
| 51-2022.00 | role-51-2022-00 | Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers | Primary-Long |
| 51-4194.00 | role-51-4194-00 | Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners | Primary-Long |
| 51-9022.00 | role-51-9022-00 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | Supplemental |
| 51-4022.00 | role-51-4022-00 | Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Advanced Manufacturing | advanced-manufacturing |
| Construction | construction |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians | engineering-engineering-related-technologies-technicians |
| Precision Production | precision-production |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 51000
- **Mean Wage:** 55100
- **Pct10Wage:** 38130
- **Pct25Wage:** 45580
- **Pct75Wage:** 61610
- **Pct90Wage:** 75850
- **Employment:** 424040
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 278780 | 49740 | 7.94 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 60300 | 60270 | 2.7 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 19920 | 49450 | 1.2 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 19580 | 47040 | 0.79 |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector | 17790 | 53300 | 1.46 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 14320 | 45440 | 1.96 |
| 332710 | 332710 | Machine Shops | National industry | 14240 | 50820 | 19.93 |
| 238220 | 238220 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | National industry | 7280 | 65310 | 2.09 |
| 48-49 | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | Sector | 7240 | 71660 | 0.36 |
| 21 | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Sector | 5060 | 64300 | 3.21 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 4340 | 63390 | 0.15 |
| 238290 | 238290 | Other Building Equipment Contractors | National industry | 2970 | 58450 | 7.03 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 332710 | 332710 | Machine Shops | National industry | 14240 | 19.93 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 278780 | 7.94 |
| 238290 | 238290 | Other Building Equipment Contractors | National industry | 2970 | 7.03 |
| 21 | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | Sector | 5060 | 3.21 |
| 221112 | 221112 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | National industry | 540 | 2.75 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 60300 | 2.7 |
| 423820 | 423820 | Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | National industry | 790 | 2.52 |
| 237130 | 237130 | Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | National industry | 1540 | 2.39 |
- **Count:** 34

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.94 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -1.197596 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.6965669 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -1.297821 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 15
- **Percentile:** 12
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 11 | felten_aioe |
| 14 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 20 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -1.197596 | 11 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.09803921568627451 | 14 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.07485377407592794 | 20 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.94
- **Percentile:** 86
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.0784313725490196
- **Beta:** 0.08823529411764705
- **Gamma:** 0.09803921568627451

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques. | 0.0020541557625231607 | 4.07 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 2.2
- **Growth Percentile:** 43
- **Direction:** About average
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 45.6
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 89
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 457.3
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 467.2

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 30
- **Skills:** 35
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 12
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** d1d2eb0ca414d1de