Onboarding plan
Metal Fabricator Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new metal fabricator from first day to full productivity.
Metal Fabricator onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: AWS welding certification, Crane rigging certification (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: band saws; plasma cutters; press brakes; welders
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Metal Fabricator training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Wear welding PPE
- Use cranes safely
- Guard saws
- Prevent burns
- Shadow an experienced metal fabricator through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: check a frame for square
- Supervised practice: read weld symbols on a drawing
- Supervised practice: control weld distortion
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Read blueprints: independently
- Lay out parts: independently
- Cut steel: independently
- Bend and form metal: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, AWS welding certification)
- Discuss the career path: Fab Helper → Fitter → Lead Fitter
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check a Frame for Square | |||
| Read Weld Symbols on a Drawing | |||
| Control Weld Distortion | |||
| Blueprint reading | |||
| Layout | |||
| Cutting | |||
| Fitting |
How to measure onboarding success
- Time to independent work orders
- Comeback, rework or scrap rate
- Billable or productive hours versus target
- 90-day retention
How Metal Fabricator training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Metal Fabricator Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Metal Fabricator Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Metal Fabricator Career
- Final Knowledge Check