riveter
Role lens
Do you enjoy working with your hands and ensuring structures are strong and secure? As a riveter, you’ll play a vital role in assembling metal components, contributing to industries from shipbuilding to construction.
Riveters are skilled craftspeople who join metal parts together using rivets, bolts, and specialized tools. Your daily tasks involve carefully positioning metal pieces, accurately drilling holes, and securely fastening them using riveting guns, hammers, or automated machinery. Precision and attention to detail are essential to ensure the integrity and durability of the final product.
- • Positioning and aligning metal parts for assembly.
- • Operating riveting guns, rivet sets, hammers, or riveting machines to drill holes and insert rivets or bolts.
- • Inspecting finished work to ensure proper alignment and secure fastening.
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.
Every place assessed is in shortage.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 4 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 riveter 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 Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Leadership?
Future Outlook for riveter
The outlook for riveter 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 riveter 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 riveter 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 test run
- troubleshoot
- ensure equipment availability
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- prepare pieces for joining
- apply preliminary treatment to workpieces
- remove inadequate workpieces
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 workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
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 riveter
09 09:00 · Morning ensure equipment availability
10 10:30 · Mid-morning perform test run
12 12:00 · Midday prepare pieces for joining
14 14:00 · Afternoon apply preliminary treatment to workpieces
15 15:30 · Late afternoon remove inadequate workpieces
17 17:00 · Wrap-up remove processed workpiece
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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ferrous metal processing
Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
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manufacturing of metal assembly products
The manufacture of rivets, washers and similar non-threaded products, screw machine products, screws, nuts and similar threaded products.
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manufacturing of metal containers
The manufacture of reservoirs, tanks and similar containers of metal, of types normally installed as fixtures for storage or manufacturing use. The manufacture of metal containers for compressed or liquefied gas.
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manufacturing of metal structures
The production of metal structures for construction.
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manufacturing of steam generators
The manufacture of steam or other vapour generators, the manufacture of auxiliary plant for use with steam generators: condensers, economisers, superheaters, steam collectors and accumulators. The manufacture of nuclear reactors, parts for marine or power boilers. Also the production of pipe system construction comprising further processing of tubes generally to make pressure pipes or pipe systems together with the associated design and construction work.
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types of metal manufacturing processes
Metal processes linked to the different types of metal, such as casting processes, heat treatment processes, repair processes and other metal manufacturing processes.
- quality standards
- rivet types
- types of metal
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prepare pieces for joining
Prepare metal or other material workpieces for joining processes by cleaning the workpieces, checking their measurements with the technical plan and marking on the pieces where they'll be joined.
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apply preliminary treatment to workpieces
Apply preparatory treatment, through mechanical or chemical processes, to the workpiece preceding the main operation.
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remove inadequate workpieces
Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.
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troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
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remove processed workpiece
Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.
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perform test run
Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
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ensure equipment availability
Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does riveter fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of industries commonly employ riveters?
- Riveters are found in a variety of industries including shipbuilding, aerospace, automotive manufacturing, construction, and general metal fabrication. Any industry that works with metal structures and requires strong, permanent fastening solutions may need riveters.
- What skills are important for success as a riveter?
- Beyond technical proficiency with tools, success requires strong hand-eye coordination, spatial reasoning, attention to detail, and the ability to interpret technical drawings. Physical stamina is also important, as the work can be demanding.
- Is there a lot of automation in riveting, or is it primarily manual work?
- While automated riveting machines exist, many riveting tasks still require manual skill and precision. The balance between manual and automated processes can vary depending on the industry and specific job role.
- Riveter — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Yes. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a shortage was reported in 17 of the 17 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia and 13 more. Belgium has reported one for 4 consecutive years. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Riveter — what does it pay in the United States?
- $49,900 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $29,320 to $64,760. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.