How To Become A Shop Lead: What It Is and Career Path

What is a shop lead and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Shop leads are responsible for supervising the work of one or several teams carrying out machining processes. They oversee daily work and assign tasks for machine operators, making sure the work scheduled for that day is executed on time. They monitor the work and make sure activities follow safety regulations.

Working as a shop lead, you will be responsible for recruiting and training your crew. You will follow the directions of a higher-level manager, reading blueprints and interpreting work instructions. Maintaining the quality standard of the work provided in the shop will also be your responsibility.

A GED will be enough to get you started here. Trade school or a college degree will be preferred, but the most important is working experience as a machinist. Communication and leadership skills will be essential. You can expect to work rotating shifts for an annual average salary of $51,000.

ScoreShop LeadUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,007

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.1

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.71%

Asian 5.13%

Black or African American 11.47%

Hispanic or Latino 18.14%

Unknown 4.16%

White 60.39%

Gender

female 12.66%

male 87.34%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a shop lead

Explore shop lead education requirements

Most common shop lead degrees

High School Diploma

33.0 %

Bachelor's

26.9 %

Associate

24.2 %

Start to develop specific shop lead skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	22.92%
Safety Procedures	9.76%
Math	7.55%
CNC	6.17%
Safety Regulations	5.21%

Complete relevant shop lead training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New shop leads learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a shop lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real shop lead resumes.

Research shop lead duties and responsibilities

Conduct employee training that encompass all require OSHA and company safety guidelines to achieve a safe and productive work environment.
Skil in both MIG and TIG welding, general sheet metal fabrication and machining.
Programme all CNC routers and see with stock dimensions to run products the company offer.
Machine parts for repair of aircraft & production of aerial firefighting & aerial fuel tanks on manual & CNC machines.

Get shop lead experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a shop lead. The most common roles before becoming a shop lead include welder, mechanic team lead and machinist.

Prepare your shop lead resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your shop lead resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a shop lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable shop lead resume templates

Build a professional shop lead resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your shop lead resume.