Onboarding plan
Metal Patternmaker Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new metal patternmaker from first day to full productivity.
Metal Patternmaker 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: AFS training, Machining certificate (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: CNC mills; shrink rules; CAD software; hand tools
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Metal Patternmaker training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Follow machine safety
- Ventilate resins
- Wear PPE
- Use dust collection
- Shadow an experienced metal patternmaker 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: add shrink and draft to a pattern
- Supervised practice: choose a parting line
- Supervised practice: repair a worn pattern
- 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 drawings: independently
- Add shrink and draft: independently
- Machine patterns: independently
- Make core boxes: 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, AFS training)
- Discuss the career path: Apprentice → Patternmaker → Senior Patternmaker
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add Shrink and Draft to a Pattern | |||
| Choose a Parting Line | |||
| Repair a Worn Pattern | |||
| Pattern layout | |||
| Shrink and draft | |||
| Machining | |||
| CAD |
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 Patternmaker training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Metal Patternmaker Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Metal Patternmaker 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 Patternmaker Career
- Final Knowledge Check