AI Career Radar

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Includes shipfitters.

AI exposure37 / 100Moderate exposure

Based on O*NET work context for this occupation. This score does not predict individual job losses.

What drives the score

Automation and repetition raise exposure; freedom to set tasks lowers it. Each measure uses a 0–100 scale.

Degree of automation25
Freedom to set tasks58
Repeating the same tasks47
$63,870Median annual wage, U.S.BLS OEWS
-3.4%Jobs, 2025 to 2035 (decline)BLS Employment Projections
48Skill durability (fragile)Transferability, out of 100

How well your skills transfer

Each skill is scored on how well it transfers into occupations that are growing and less exposed. The ones high on both importance and transfer are worth deepening.

Highest transferability first

Both scores out of 100

Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Critical Thinking
63
50
Monitoring
63
50
Judgment and Decision Making
63
50
Active Listening
63
47
Speaking
63
47
Complex Problem Solving
62
50
Coordination
62
47
Active Learning
62
44
Reading Comprehension
61
50
Time Management
61
44
Show 25 more skills
Skills ranked by transferability. Both scores use a 0–100 scale.
SkillTransferabilityImportance in current role
Social Perceptiveness
60
44
Writing
60
38
Instructing
58
35
Learning Strategies
58
28
Systems Analysis
57
28
Systems Evaluation
56
28
Service Orientation
56
25
Persuasion
54
28
Mathematics
53
53
Negotiation
52
22
Science
52
6
Management of Personnel Resources
50
22
Operations Analysis
49
31
Installation
48
16
Quality Control Analysis
47
50
Equipment Selection
47
44
Troubleshooting
47
28
Equipment Maintenance
47
25
Technology Design
47
16
Management of Financial Resources
47
13
Management of Material Resources
47
13
Operations Monitoring
46
50
Repairing
46
25
Programming
45
3
Operation and Control
43
47

Compare how well you can use each skill in growing, low-exposure occupations with its importance in your current role. How we score skills.

Jobs you could move to

Compare related occupations by skill overlap, retraining effort, pay and projected growth. Choose a priority to adjust the ranking. Licensing requirements may limit some routes.

82/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$120,230
10-yr growth
+34.6%
Skill gap
31%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Writing, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening

78/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$135,880
10-yr growth
+21.1%
Skill gap
27%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Service Orientation, Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension

77/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$129,180
10-yr growth
+21%
Skill gap
28%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Systems Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Listening

#4Dental HygienistsHealthcare
76/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$98,100
10-yr growth
+8%
Skill gap
19%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Service Orientation, Active Listening, Persuasion, Speaking

75/100 match
Median pay · U.S.
$96,590
10-yr growth
+13.9%
Skill gap
25%
Retraining
Moderate

Skills to build: Active Listening, Service Orientation, Speaking, Learning Strategies

A second source of income, before you need it

This page can tell you where Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic could go and what the move costs. The other route is not a move at all: something small of your own, running alongside the job, started while there is no pressure on it.

Where to learn the missing half: Google Career Certificates for systems analysis · active learning, LinkedIn Learning for writing · speaking, edX for mathematics · reading and PlanetNoCode for complex problem solving. Some of those are affiliate links. It never changes what we list.

Snapshot: O*NET 31.0, BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025-2035. Scoring v2.1.0-onet-31.0. Method on the how it works page.