Compare Occupations

	Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians	Tool and Die Makers	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers	Mechanical Drafters	Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
SUMMARY	71% High Risk	34% Low Risk	55% Moderate Risk	62% High Risk	55% Moderate Risk	65% High Risk
JOB SCORE	2.0/10	4.7/10	2.9/10	4.8/10	3.1/10	2.9/10
POLLING	There hasn't been enough votes on this occupation yet	39% (Low Risk, Based on 116 votes)	50% (Moderate Risk, Based on 95 votes)	61% (High Risk, Based on 28 votes)	59% (Moderate Risk, Based on 106 votes)	41% (Moderate Risk, Based on 33 votes)
GROWTH by year 2034	-24.4%	0.0%	-10.8%	12.8%	-6.5%	-16.3%
WAGES	$54,540 or $26.22 per hour	$68,730 or $33.04 per hour	$63,180 or $30.37 per hour	$65,670 or $31.57 per hour	$68,510 or $32.93 per hour	$49,900 or $23.99 per hour
VOLUME as of 2024	1,570	37,450	55,130	28,230	39,900	53,380
SNOWFLAKE [?] The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
DESCRIPTION	Lay out, machine, fit, and assemble castings and parts to metal or plastic foundry patterns, core boxes, or match plates.	Apply theory and principles of mechanical engineering to modify, develop, test, or adjust machinery and equipment under direction of engineering staff or physical scientists.	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.	Develop programs to control machining or processing of materials by automatic machine tools, equipment, or systems. May also set up, operate, or maintain equipment.	Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.	Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

Compare Occupations Side by Side

Curious how automation and AI could affect your career? Our comparison tool lets you view two or more jobs side by side, helping you quickly spot differences in risk level, pay, growth, and popularity. All of this is based on a mix of academic research, user polling, and official labour data.

Automation Risk

Each occupation shows a probability of automation. A higher score means machines and algorithms are more likely to take over the role in the future.

Job Score

A quick summary of how a job performs overall — factoring in wages, growth, volume, and automation risk. It’s a handy way to see the bigger picture at a glance.

Polling Data

Thousands of visitors cast their votes on how “automatable” each job feels. These community insights are shown alongside the calculated probabilities.

Growth & Wages

See how fast each occupation is projected to grow and what people earn on average. High wages don’t always mean high security — automation risk still matters.

Volume of Workers

Explore how many people currently work in each occupation and in which year the data was recorded. Popularity can affect how disruptive automation will be for the wider economy.

The Snowflake Diagram

Each snowflake visualises the balance between automation risk, wages, growth, and job volume. Bigger and greener areas mean stronger performance in that dimension.

Use this comparison page to research careers, guide students, or simply explore the future of work. All data is regularly updated to keep the results relevant.