OSCA occupation

331131 Metal Fabricator

Marks off and fabricates structural steel and other metal stock to make, assemble or repair metal products, pipes and structures, such as boilers and pressure vessels.

Major group: 3 Technicians and Trades Workers
Unit group: 3311 Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers
Edition: OSCA 2024
Skill level: Level 3

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

ANZSCO 322311 Metal Fabricator Exact correspondence in the ABS table

Role overview

Marks off and fabricates structural steel and other metal stock to make, assemble or repair metal products, pipes and structures, such as boilers and pressure vessels.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level: 3
Major group: 3 Technicians and Trades Workers
Sub-major group: 33 Engineering Trades Workers
Minor group: 331 Fabrication Engineering Trades Workers
Unit group: 3311 Structural Steel and Welding Trades Workers

Tasks

Studies blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine fabrication job requirements
Measures and marks out the size, shape and location of cutouts and joints on metal stock
Uses specialised tools to cut, bend or shape metal into the desired structure or product
Joins metal sections together by welding, bolting and riveting
Examines welds for width of bead, penetration and precision, and performs necessary repairs or reworks
Cleans and smooths welds by filing, chiselling and grinding
May program machinery or computer-aided fabrication tools to optimise the metal fabrication process

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Related occupations

Industry context

Alternative titles

Boilermaker

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 331131 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison point	Current code331131 Metal Fabricator	331132 Pressure Welder	331133 Welder (First Class)
Official role definition	Marks off and fabricates structural steel and other metal stock to make, assemble or repair metal products, pipes and structures, such as boilers and pressure vessels.	Assembles, welds and repairs pressure vessels and pipes to relevant standards.	Fabricates and repairs metal products using various welding techniques.
Skill level	Skill Level 3	Skill Level 3	Skill Level 3
Key tasks	Studies blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine fabrication job requirements Measures and marks out the size, shape and location of cutouts and joints on metal stock Uses specialised tools to cut, bend or shape metal into the desired structure or product Joins metal sections together by welding, bolting and riveting	Reads and interprets blueprints and technical specifications to determine appropriate welding techniques for pressurised systems Examines welds for width of bead, penetration and precision, and performs necessary repairs or reworks Shapes, bends, cleans and smooths metal sections and pipes using hand and machine tools, and by heating, hammering, filing and chiselling Welds pressurised pipelines used for transporting oil, gas and other high-pressure substances	Interprets engineering drawings and specifications to determine welding requirements Applies appropriate welding techniques to join metal sections Monitors and adjusts welding parameters to ensure quality and integrity of welds Cleans welds by filing, chiselling and grinding
Alternative titles	Boilermaker	Not stated	Not stated

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

In this section

Official source

Official source: ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17

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