| Important Core Job Duties (in order of importance) For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Verify dimensions, alignments, and clearances of finished parts for conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as calipers, gauge blocks, micrometers, or dial indicators. |
| Importance: 100 (%) | Description: Fit and assemble parts to make, repair, or modify dies, jigs, gauges, and tools, using machine tools, hand tools, or welders. |
| Importance: 97 (%) | Description: Study blueprints, sketches, models, or specifications to plan sequences of operations for fabricating tools, dies, or assemblies. |
| Importance: 96 (%) | Description: File, grind, shim, and adjust different parts to properly fit them together. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Smooth and polish flat and contoured surfaces of parts or tools, using scrapers, abrasive stones, files, emery cloths, or power grinders. |
| Importance: 93 (%) | Description: Visualize and compute dimensions, sizes, shapes, and tolerances of assemblies, based on specifications. |
| Importance: 92 (%) | Description: Conduct test runs with completed tools or dies to ensure that parts meet specifications, making adjustments as necessary. |
| Importance: 91 (%) | Description: Lift, position, and secure machined parts on surface plates or worktables, using hoists, vises, v-blocks, or angle plates. |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Inspect finished dies for smoothness, contour conformity, and defects. |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Measure, mark, and scribe metal or plastic stock to lay out machining, using instruments such as protractors, micrometers, scribes, or rulers. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Select metals to be used from a range of metals and alloys, based on properties such as hardness or heat tolerance. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Set up and operate drill presses to drill and tap holes in parts for assembly. |
| Importance: 87 (%) | Description: Set up and operate conventional or computer numerically controlled machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders to cut, bore, grind, or otherwise shape parts to prescribed dimensions and finishes. |
| Importance: 86 (%) | Description: Cut, shape, and trim blanks or blocks to specified lengths or shapes, using power saws, power shears, rules, and hand tools. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Design jigs, fixtures, and templates for use as work aids in the fabrication of parts or products. |
Fine Arts Careers and Jobs
Select, Find and Prepare for Fine Arts Careers and Jobs - all on one page
For people pursuing a studio-art practice who want to understand realistic income paths beyond gallery sales. Use the tools below to see which fine arts roles fit your background and goals.
Fine arts careers rarely follow a single job-title path; many artists combine gallery/studio work with teaching, freelance, or commercial art income. Use the tools below to explore Fine Arts-related job titles sorted by growth rate, salary, or required education. You can start with entry points like Studio Assistant, or look ahead to advanced roles such as Exhibiting Artist or Arts Educator. Along the way, you will see specific certifications, such as None formally required; portfolio and exhibition history matter most, that can help you move up the career ladder.
Here is a short Helper Video 
This page will take you through 4 steps to (1) Select from Fine Arts careers/jobs, (2) Find Fine Arts job listings, (3) Prepare for Fine Arts careers, and (4) Provide Fine Arts career-specific resources.
Step 1: Select a Career/Job: This page starts with 4 ways for you to identify and select from listings of Fine Arts careers/jobs:
A) Fastest Growing Fine Arts Careers - 2023 to 2033 (est.)
These listings are based on job growth estimates and helps you to identify the fastest growing and evolving Fine Arts careers. Some careers may not initially seem related to Fine Arts, so relevant Fine Arts jobs are listed alongside each listing. This can also help us to identify which careers (bottom of the listing) may have negative growth - perhaps due to automation or planned obsolescence.
B) Median Annual Salary U.S. Fine Arts Careers
These listings are sorted (descending) by median annual salary in the U.S. This may help us to identify our ideal career. We may not qualify at this time for the desired career, but this listing and the results provided can help us to explore job details, as well as learn how to appropriately prepare for the career.
C) Fine Arts Career Ladders (Educational Requirements)
These listings will help us to identify Fine Arts careers sorted by educational requirements (with the most difficult to obtain listed first). This may help us to identify career ladders (as we scroll down the list), and help us to get jobs that we qualify for now.
D) Select From a Listing of 253 Fine Arts Jobs.
The list may be quite long. There are two ways you might like to use this list:
1) Filter - As you enter a word, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles
2) Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
Once you have identified a job title of interest, simply click on it.
Step 2: Find a Job: After you have selected a career/job title above, you will see a form asking for your location. You will see several radio selection choices to utilize the job search site of your choice.
Step 3: Prepare For a Career: In this section you will gain access to detailed information to help you prepare for the chosen career. Information may include (not every career choice includes all of the elements below - updates occur quarterly):
Core Duties: Lists the primary worker-related tasks performed in this occupation
Supplemental Duties: Lists additional tasks that are performed but are secondary to the core duties
Work Activities: Summarizes the broad types of behaviors and actions related to this career
Specific Work Activities: Provides more granular day-to-day activities tied to the work performed
Essential Skills: Provides foundational skills that are core to performing this specific occupation
Transferable Skills: Provides career-portable skills that can be applied across multiple occupations and industries
Day-in-the-Life Summaries: Provides a snapshot of the key activities performed on a typical workday in this career
Knowledge Required: Provides the requirements regarding the acquisition of facts and principles
Software Skills: Lists software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized by category and priority
Preparation Required: Provides a summary of the required experience and education
Education Required: Detailed breakdown of the education required
Training and Experience Required: Detailed breakdown of the training and Training and Experience Required
Local Salary Information: Provides national and local salary ranges
Certifications: Provides appropriate government and private-sector certifications and/or credentials that may be required
Professional Associations: Provides professional associations that are related to the career selected
Job Listings: Provides links to active current job listings for the selected career, along with multiple similar job titles to explore. All information appears on this page without navigating away.
Related Careers to Consider: Lists up to 20 careers that might be of interest to you (related to your initial choice - what they do, what they know, and what they're called), ranked by best fit.
** If you clicked on a link from section D (as described in Step 1 above), you will see one or more links to an occupation that is usually a bit more general than your initial job selection - the link(s) is directly related to the specific job you identified through your prior selections.
*NOTE: It is possible that there may not be a career path identified for the specific job you selected in Step 1. If this is the case, scroll up the page and click on a different career/job.
Step 4: Career-Specific Resources (detailed and constantly updated): Continue to scroll down the page and you will find tabs that provide detailed (updated) links specific to the career you selected. This information includes:
Videos: Provides a listing of video links related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes: Sources for resume materials and techniques. This can help to get you started.
Job Description: Sources that provide job descriptions, which are vital to resume and interview preparation.
Interviews: Provides links that can help you to prepare for and successfully complete the job interview. Can also assist with coffee chats.
Step by Step: Provides links to resources that can help to organize the career search process.
LinkedIn: One of the best professional social media sites that provides links, opportunities, and networking specifically for careers and career development.
Step 1 of 4: Select a Career/Job
41 Fine Arts careers are listed below (sorted by Percentage Change in Total Job Openings - 2023 to 2033 est.). Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each career are also provided. This shows which careers are emerging and growing the fastest. Please Scroll and Select below:
| Occupations | U.S. Job Openings 2023-2033 (% change) | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
45 Fine Arts careers are listed below (sorted by U.S. National Median Salary). Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each occupation are also provided. Please Scroll and Select below::
| Occupations | National Median Salary | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
46 Fine Arts careers are listed (sorted by Education/Preparation Requirements - descending) to provide career ladders. Fine Arts-related jobs specific to each career are also provided.
|
Education/Preparation Categories: 5 = Usually requires graduate school (e.g., Master's degree, Ph.D., M.D., or J.D.) 4 = Usually requires a four-year Bachelor's degree 3 = Usually requires vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or Associate's degree 2 = Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, but not always Please Scroll and Select below: |
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| Occupations | Education/Preparation | Fine Arts-Related Jobs |
Scroll through the picklist (below). There are 253 specific Fine Arts job titles listed. Select those that may be of interest - you will get active job listing links, along with detailed resources to help you prepare for a career related to that job.
You can use this form two ways:
Filter - As you enter a keyword, you will filter (limit) the list of job titles below
Browse the list (Don't Filter) - You can simply explore the list of job titles. There may be many that you might never have considered to be of interest.
OR - leave blank and scroll through the choices:
Select a Job Title (Scroll and Select) :
Step 2 of 4: Find a Job
Find Job Listings:
Tool and Die Makers.
Step 3 of 4: Prepare For a Career
Tool and Die Makers
Description: Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.
Please click on a section below to expand and see detailed occupational information related to "Tool and Die Makers":
U.S. Total Employment (2023):
62,300U.S. Total Employment (2033 est.):
63,300
Employment Change (2023-2033 est.):
900 (1.5%) Average Annual Job Openings (2023-2033 est.):
6,400
Core Duties
Supplemental Duties
| Important Supplemental Job Duties (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Set pyrometer controls of heat-treating furnaces and feed or place parts, tools, or assemblies into furnaces to harden. |
| Importance: 55 (%) | Description: Develop and design new tools and dies, using computer-aided design software. |
Work Activities
| Important General Work Activities (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 89 (%) | Description: Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Importance: 82 (%) | Description: Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Importance: 76 (%) | Description: Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Importance: 75 (%) | Description: Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. |
| Importance: 74 (%) | Description: Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. |
| Importance: 72 (%) | Description: Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Importance: 71 (%) | Description: Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Importance: 70 (%) | Description: Working with Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Importance: 65 (%) | Description: Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| Importance: 63 (%) | Description: Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
| Importance: 61 (%) | Description: Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
Specific Work Activities
| Important Specific Work Activities
How can you begin to build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. Specific Work Activities appear below: |
|
| Adjust temperature controls of ovens or other heating equipment. | |
| Assemble machine tools, parts, or fixtures. | |
| Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment. | |
| Conduct test runs of production equipment. | |
| Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing. | |
| Design tools, fixtures, or other devices for production equipment. | |
| Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials. | |
| Feed materials or products into or through equipment. | |
| Inspect metal, plastic, or composite products. | |
| Lift materials or workpieces using cranes or other lifting equipment. | |
| Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications. | |
| Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators. | |
| Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment. | |
| Operate grinding equipment. | |
| Operate metal or plastic forming equipment. | |
| Operate welding equipment. | |
| Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products. | |
| Repair parts or assemblies. | |
| Review blueprints or other instructions to determine operational methods or sequences. | |
| Select production input materials. | |
| Shape metal workpieces with hammers or other small hand tools. | |
| Smooth metal surfaces or edges. | |
Knowledge Required
| Knowledge Required (in order of importance)
For the Top 5 most important - How can you build experience and skill doing these? This will help now, to begin preparing for this type of occupation. |
|
| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 88 (%) | Description: Mechanical: Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. |
| Importance: 69 (%) | Description: Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. |
| Importance: 68 (%) | Description: Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. |
| Importance: 66 (%) | Description: Design: Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. |
| Importance: 59 (%) | Description: English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar. |
Essential Skills
| Essential Skills (in order of importance)
These are the foundational skills most central to success in this occupation. For the Top 5 most important, how can you begin building experience and confidence using these skills now? |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
Transferable Skills
| Transferable Skills (in order of importance)
These are skills that can transfer across occupations and industries. For the Top 5 most important, how can you strengthen these skills now so they support both this career and future career flexibility? |
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| Importance (%) | Description |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems. |
| Importance: 54 (%) | Description: Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Equipment Selection: Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Importance: 52 (%) | Description: Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
Day-in-the-Life Summaries
| Day-in-the-Life Summaries These summaries show the main types of activities you are likely to perform on a regular basis in this occupation. How can you imagine your typical workday — using these examples to see if this type of work fits you? |
| Activity: Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance. |
| Activity: Assemble equipment or components. |
| Activity: Cut materials. |
| Activity: Design industrial systems or equipment. |
| Activity: Drill holes in earth or materials. |
| Activity: Inspect completed work or finished products. |
| Activity: Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques. |
| Activity: Measure physical characteristics of materials, products, or equipment. |
| Activity: Operate cutting or grinding equipment. |
| Activity: Operate industrial processing or production equipment. |
| Activity: Operate lifting or moving equipment. |
| Activity: Position workpieces or materials on equipment. |
| Activity: Read documents or materials to inform work processes. |
| Activity: Repair workpieces or products. |
| Activity: Select materials or equipment for operations or projects. |
| Activity: Shape materials to create products. |
| Activity: Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment. |
| Activity: Test performance of equipment or systems. |
Software Skills
|
Software Skills These are examples of software tools commonly used in this occupation, organized from most to least important for your career preparation. How can you start learning or practicing the highest-priority tools so that you feel confident using them on the job? |
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| Emerging Tech Skills | |||||||||||||
| Computer aided design CAD software: | |||||||||||||
| Autodesk AutoCAD Bentley MicroStation Dassault Systemes SolidWorks | |||||||||||||
| Electronic mail software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Outlook | |||||||||||||
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software: | |||||||||||||
| SAP software | |||||||||||||
| Office suite software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Office software | |||||||||||||
| Presentation software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft PowerPoint | |||||||||||||
| Project management software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Project | |||||||||||||
| Spreadsheet software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Excel | |||||||||||||
| Word processing software: | |||||||||||||
| Microsoft Word | |||||||||||||
| General Software Tools | |||||||||||||
| Computer aided design CAD software (scroll table below): | |||||||||||||
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| Computer aided manufacturing CAM software (scroll table below): | |||||||||||||
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| Inventory management software: | |||||||||||||
| Seco Tools Seco Point | |||||||||||||
| Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software: | |||||||||||||
| JobPack MES Scheduler |
Preparation Required
| Preparation Required - How much preparation is needed to obtain this type of job? |
| Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
| Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
| Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants. |
Education Required
| Education Required - by frequency of educational attainment This shows you details about the level of education most commonly held by workers in this occupation. How can you begin planning the educational pathway that will prepare you best for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Education |
| Frequency of Attainment: 40.9 (%) | Level of Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 39.6 (%) | Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.9 (%) | Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.7 (%) | Level of Education: Less than a High School Diploma |
Training and Experience Required
| Training and Experience Required - by frequency of training and work experience attainment This section shows you how often different types of training and work experience are required for this occupation. How can you start gaining the kinds of experience and training that are most common for this type of work? |
|
| Frequency of Attainment (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience |
| Frequency of Attainment: 25.0 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 21.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year |
| Frequency of Attainment: 15.2 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 12.4 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 10 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 9.5 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 6 years, up to and including 8 years |
| Frequency of Attainment: 6.7 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: None |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.9 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months |
| Frequency of Attainment: 4.8 (%) | Level of Training and Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years |
Local Salary Information
Select a State (scroll and Select) :
Please select a State to see State and National Salaries
Certifications
| Certifications These are examples of certifications that may be important for this occupation. How can you begin exploring which certifications fit your goals and what steps you would need to take to earn them? |
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Diemaking Level II
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Diemaking Level III
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Professional Associations
| Professional Associations These associations connect people who work in this occupation or related fields. How can you start using these associations to learn more, build your network, or find mentoring opportunities? |
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International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD)
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Job Listings
| Job Listings and Similar Occupational Titles - scroll and click to identify common requirements, keywords, and skills in current job listings |
Related Careers to Consider
Step 4 of 4: Career-Specific Resources
This section contains detailed external resources appropriate to "Tool and Die Makers". Explore these resources to start learning more. Links are constantly updated, so bookmark this page.
Videos
Here is a listing of videos related to this career. A great way to get a quick overview of the occupation.
Resumes
Here are resources that allow you to see example resumes for this occupation. It may be helpful to see examples from others who have this type of experience.
Job Description
Here are resources that provide job descriptions, which are vital for resume and interview preparation.
Interviews
There are many great resources that can help guide you through the interview process. These links provide help in preparing and performing an effective interview, specific to this occupation.
Step-by-Step
Here are links to help guide you, step-by-step, to become a(n): Tool and Die Makers
LinkedIn®
Here are links to various posts and groups from LinkedIn ® that relate to this occupation. Great way to start building professional contacts in the field that might be most appropriate for you.
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