Skills
Tool and Die Maker Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in tool and die makers, and how to build and show them.
Tool and Die Makers need technical skills such as precision machining, wire and sinker edm, and surface and cylindrical grinding, plus people skills like patience and attention to detail. They also use tools such as Manual and CNC mills and lathes and Surface and cylindrical grinders.
Technical (hard) skills
- Precision machining
- Wire and sinker EDM
- Surface and cylindrical grinding
- Blueprint and GD&T reading
- Die and mold design basics
- Precision inspection
People (soft) skills
- Patience
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
- Mechanical creativity
Tools, equipment and technology
- Manual and CNC mills and lathes
- Surface and cylindrical grinders
- Wire and sinker EDM machines
- Micrometers, height gauges and gauge blocks
- Coordinate measuring machines (CMM)
- CAD/CAM software
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how tool and die makers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Precision machining” and “Wire and sinker EDM.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “patience,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as NIMS credentials near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our tool and die maker glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Tool and Die Maker training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.