Toolmaker

Toolmaker is Highly Regarded among the Many Skilled Trades in Manufacturing

The profession of toolmaker has been a cornerstone in the production and manufacturing sector for more than a generation.  While this job naturally relied on manual precision at its inception, advances in technology have influenced its transition into a role that now requires some proficiency in computer programming.

In essence, a toolmaker is an individual who produces, repairs, maintains, and calibrates precision tools for use during the manufacturing process.  These precision tools may be utilized to engineer, hold/clamp, or test/check products, and will most commonly include the following:

Guides (Jigs)

Stamping Dies

Molds or Forms

Cutting Tools/Shears

Checking Fixtures/Gauges

Tool and die making is considered to be among the most skilled trades in manufacturing.  Customarily, toolmakers will be employed by manufacturers to create tools for in-house use or by machine shops where they will produce precision/specialized tools for external customers.  This role is usually compensated on an hourly basis, with a median pay rate ranging from $18.00 to $27.00 per hour, exclusive of any bonuses or overtime.

Individuals wishing to pursue a career as a toolmaker must have a high school diploma, with math credits that include geometry and trigonometry; studies in metalworking and drafting should also be part of this curriculum if such courses are available.  Certification from a technical school or community college is also recommended; this post-secondary program should emphasize the following skills/subjects:

  • Reading blueprints
  • Mechanical drafting
  • Precision machine theory
  • CAD – Computer-aided drafting
  • CNC – Computer numerical control programming

This educational certification will likely be followed by on-the-job training, in the form of an apprenticeship, to provide practical tool making experience.  In some instances, these apprenticeship opportunities will be coordinated by the post-secondary institution as a means of fulfilling the overall criteria for certification.

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Align Job Search Efforts with a Placement Agency Specializing in Skilled Trades

Sometimes, a newly-certified toolmaker may need to find an apprenticeship opportunity without the formal support of a post-secondary program; in other cases, an experienced toolmaker may be looking to further their career in this field.  Unfortunately, these types of opportunities are not always posted or made widely known by prospective employers.

In lieu of direct advertising and recruiting, employers will often turn to a staffing agency like Winters Technical Staffing to fulfill their hiring needs with respect to skilled trades.  Consultants from Winters Technical Staffing will in turn identify talented individuals with the background/skills deemed vital by the employers in their respective job descriptions.

Therefore, by aligning their job search efforts with a placement agency such as Winters Technical Staffing, toolmaker candidates will have access to the following:

  • Established working relationships with hiring managers
  • Non-advertised jobs in their area of interest/specialization
  • Immediately-available apprenticeships or job opportunities

Contact Winters Today

Interested in launching or expanding your career as a toolmaker?  Call the placement professionals at Winters Technical Staffing today at 1-877-495-7422 for a complimentary consultation and discussion on your employment aspirations.