How To Become A Tool Maker Apprentice: What It Is and Career Path

What is a tool maker apprentice and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a tool maker apprentice. For example, did you know that they make an average of $21.53 an hour? That's $44,786 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 3,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreTool Maker ApprenticeUS Average

Salary

3.5

Avg. Salary $44,786

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.4

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%

Asian 2.71%

Black or African American 2.45%

Hispanic or Latino 6.56%

Unknown 2.83%

White 84.67%

Gender

female 3.82%

male 96.18%

Age - 57

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 - 57

Stress level

5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a tool maker apprentice

Explore tool maker apprentice education requirements

Most common tool maker apprentice degrees

High School Diploma

38.6 %

Bachelor's

22.7 %

Associate

20.5 %

Start to develop specific tool maker apprentice skills

Skills	Percentages
Grinders	24.92%
Lathe Operation	20.01%
Mold Components	17.60%
Calipers	11.88%
Jigs	8.55%

Complete relevant tool maker apprentice training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New tool maker apprentices 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 tool maker apprentice based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real tool maker apprentice resumes.

Research tool maker apprentice duties and responsibilities

Operate lathes mills and grinders CNC work
Operate cranes, hoists, and forklifts to move materials and tools.
Determine measurements utilizing calipers, micrometers, and other precision tools
Perform all machining operations necessary to build production machinery and tooling to manufacture a wide selection of aerospace fasteners.

Prepare your tool maker apprentice resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your tool maker apprentice 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 tool maker apprentice resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable tool maker apprentice resume templates

Build a professional tool maker apprentice 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 tool maker apprentice resume.

Apply for tool maker apprentice jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a tool maker apprentice job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do tool maker apprentices rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Tool maker apprentice reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019

Cons

Tools are made to be run a particular way although they wear out but whe proper pm is followed and workers are properly trained and communicated downtime is limited. Lack of communication is greatest problem I've found in this field.