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What They Do
About This Career
Constructs full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.
This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.
A person in this career:
- Verifies dimensions and contours of models during hand-forming processes, using templates and measuring devices.
- Reads blueprints, drawings, or written specifications, and consults with designers to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
- Sets up, operates, and adjusts a variety of woodworking machines such as bandsaws and planers to cut and shape sections, parts, and patterns, according to specifications.
- Fits, fastens, and assembles wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, screws, and other fasteners.
- Trims, smooths, and shapes surfaces, and planes, shaves, files, scrapes, and sands models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
- Selects wooden stock, determines layouts, and marks layouts of parts on stock, using precision equipment such as scribers, squares, and protractors.
- Constructs wooden models, patterns, templates, full scale mock-ups, and molds for parts of products and production tools.
- Marks identifying information on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods and details.
- Plans, lays out, and draws outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products.
- Fabricate work aids such as scrapers or templates.
Working Conditions and Physical Demands
People who do this job report that:
- You would often handle loads up to 50 lbs., sometimes up to 100 lbs. You will need a lot of strength at this level.
- Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
- Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
- Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
- Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
- Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
- Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
Working in this career involves (physical activities):
- Seeing clearly up close
- Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
- Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
Work Hours and Travel
- Regular working hours and limited travel
Specialty and Similar Careers
Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:
- Craftsman
- Model Builder
- Model Maker
- Product Development Carpenter
- Sample Builder
- Sample Maker
- Sample Worker
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts national surveys of wage data by occupation in every state and in all industry divisions. These surveys are conducted through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program.
The statistics collected for one year are published the next fall. For example, 2013 wage information was published in the fall of 2014.
There are over 800 occupations in the surveys, and these occupations cover the entire U.S. labor market. The surveys ask for reports in a scale of ranges for both hourly wages and annual wages.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics for a broad category, be aware that the salary data for a specific career may differ.
For more details about how wage information is collected and calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm.
Every year the U.S. Department of Labor conducts a national survey of over 400,000
employers in every state and in all industry divisions. This survey is conducted
through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Every other year the
department publishes outlook information based on these surveys.
Each outlook period covers 10 years. For example, in 2003 the outlook information
was published for 2004-2014. Employers are asked to report the number of employees
in about 770 different occupations that cover the entire U.S. labor market.
From this information, staffing patterns for different industries are established.
Industry growth is projected into the future based on past trends and current economic
conditions. Industry staffing patterns are then applied to the industry projections
to obtain occupational projections.
In many cases, these occupations are broad enough to cover many more detailed specialties
of an occupation. A specific occupation may be included in a broader occupational
category for which labor market data is available. When you look at the statistics
for a broad category, be aware that the employment data for a specific field may
differ.
For more details about how employment information is collected and calculated by
the U.S. Department of Labor, visit their website at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
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