Ship fitters are responsible for building the structural parts of ships, such as the plates, frames, and bulkheads. They cut and attach large sheets of metal to make those structural parts, preparing them for permanent welding. They also maintain a clean work environment and observe proper safety considerations daily to prevent injury and lost time. Ship fitters earn an average salary of $38,000 annually or $18 per hour.
Ship fitters mark holes' location to be drilled and install temporary fasteners to hold the part in place for welding. They prepare molds and templates to fabricate nonstandard parts and locate and mark reference lines, such as center, buttock, and frame lines. They also lay out the position of parts on metal by working from blueprints or templates.
In terms of academic qualifications, ship fitters usually hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. However, earning a higher degree may prove advantageous in some instances, and employers may prefer such a degree. Some employers may also select candidates with prior experience in general construction and the ability to read and follow blueprints.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a Ship Fitter. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.3 an hour? That's $46,391 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 14,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many Ship Fitters have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed Detail oriented, Manual dexterity and Technical skills.
If you're interested in becoming a Ship Fitter, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 20.3% of Ship Fitters have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.3% of Ship Fitters have master's degrees. Even though some Ship Fitters have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a Ship Fitter. When we researched the most common majors for a Ship Fitter, we found that they most commonly earn High School Diploma degrees or Bachelor's Degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on Ship Fitter resumes include Associate Degree degrees or Diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a Ship Fitter. In fact, many Ship Fitter jobs require experience in a role such as Welder. Meanwhile, many Ship Fitters also have previous career experience in roles such as Welder Fitter or Pipe Fitter.