fitter and turner
Role lens
Are you fascinated by how machines work and enjoy working with your hands? As a fitter and turner, you’ll be a vital part of ensuring machinery operates smoothly, creating and modifying metal components with precision.
Fitters and turners are skilled tradespeople who use a variety of machine tools to shape and modify metal parts. Your work is critical in manufacturing and maintenance, ensuring components meet strict specifications and are ready for assembly into larger machines. You'll interpret technical drawings, set up and operate lathes, milling machines, and other equipment, and meticulously check your work for accuracy.
- • Reading and interpreting technical drawings and specifications.
- • Setting up and operating machine tools like lathes, milling machines, and drills.
- • Creating and modifying metal parts to precise measurements.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Metal, machinery and related trades workers — 106 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 11 more.
Longest-running shortage: Austria, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could fitter and turner fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Cooperation?
Future Outlook for fitter and turner
The outlook for fitter and turner reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could fitter and turner change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could fitter and turner change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- perform metal work
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- inspect quality of products
- use technical documentation
- manipulate metal
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Advanced Manufacturing
A typical day as a fitter and turner
09 09:00 · Morning inspect quality of products
10 10:30 · Mid-morning measure parts of manufactured products
12 12:00 · Midday operate metal fabricating machines
14 14:00 · Afternoon cut metal products
15 15:30 · Late afternoon fabricate metal parts
17 17:00 · Wrap-up manipulate metal
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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manufacturing of metal structures
The production of metal structures for construction.
- metal forming technologies
- types of metal
- metal coating technologies
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operate drill press
Operate a semi-automated, semi-manual drill press to drill holes in a work piece, safely and according to regulations.
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tend lathe
Tend a lathe designed for cutting manufacturing processes on metal, wooden, plastic materials and others, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.
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inspect quality of products
Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
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manipulate metal
Manipulate the properties, shape and size of metal.
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measure parts of manufactured products
Operate measurement instruments to measure parts of manufactured objects. Take into consideration specifications of manufacturers to perform the measuring.
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operate metal fabricating machines
Set up and operate fabricating equipment to bend, cut and straighten pieces of metal.
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cut metal products
Operate cutting and measuring instruments in order to cut/shape pieces of metal into given dimensions.
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use technical documentation
Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.
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fabricate metal parts
Fabricate metal parts, using equipment such as drill presses and engine lathes.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does fitter and turner fit?
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Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of industries employ fitters and turners?
- You'll find fitters and turners working in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and engineering. Maintenance and repair facilities also frequently require these skills.
- What skills are particularly important for success as a fitter and turner?
- Strong mechanical aptitude, precision, attention to detail, and the ability to interpret technical drawings are essential. Problem-solving skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team are also highly valued.
- Is there a lot of physical work involved in this role?
- Yes, the role often involves standing for extended periods, lifting and moving materials, and working in potentially noisy environments. Physical stamina and a commitment to safety are important.
- Fitter And Turner — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Yes. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a shortage was reported in 15 of the 17 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia and 11 more. Austria has reported one for 3 consecutive years. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Fitter And Turner — what does it pay in the United States?
- $56,150 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $29,280 to $84,410. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.