O*NET-SOC 51-4121.00 / model V11 rated-task engine

Will AI replace
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers?

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

Estimated AI task exposure

Low exposure

V11 weights occupation tasks using O*NET Importance, Relevance and Frequency ratings instead of treating every task equally.

29 tasks have usable Task Rating records; weighted-task coverage is 97%.

Digital/info work

22/100

Physical moat

76/100

Human moat

8/100

Rating coverage

97%

30 task statements / 29 rated

Highest-weighted occupation tasks

Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.

Importance 90/100Relevance 98/100Frequency 82/100Weight 0.91

Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.

Importance 79/100Relevance 94/100Frequency 73/100Weight 0.83

Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.

Importance 77/100Relevance 94/100Frequency 73/100Weight 0.83

Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.

Importance 82/100Relevance 84/100Frequency 70/100Weight 0.80

Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter.

Importance 76/100Relevance 87/100Frequency 72/100Weight 0.79

Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools.

Importance 74/100Relevance 87/100Frequency 70/100Weight 0.78

Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.

Importance 77/100Relevance 86/100Frequency 66/100Weight 0.78

Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.

Importance 77/100Relevance 78/100Frequency 73/100Weight 0.76

Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material.

Importance 74/100Relevance 83/100Frequency 69/100Weight 0.76

Align and clamp workpieces together, using rules, squares, or hand tools, or position items in fixtures, jigs, or vises.

Importance 76/100Relevance 79/100Frequency 71/100Weight 0.76

Task weighting

Each rated task receives a composite weight: 38% relevance, 37% importance and 25% frequency. Core tasks receive a small additional multiplier. Low-precision rows flagged by O*NET for suppression are excluded.

Occupation scoring

When rating coverage is strong, rated tasks contribute 60% of the digital, physical and human task signals and Work Activities contribute 40%. Lower-coverage occupations automatically rely more on Work Activities.

U.S. labor market

BLS Wage & Employment Outlook

Median annual wage

$53,750

BLS OEWS May 2025

National employment

416,210

BLS OEWS May 2025

Projected growth

+2.4%

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

Average annual openings

40

BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035

BLS labor-market figures are separate from the site's AI-exposure model. Missing values mean a compatible detailed BLS occupation estimate was not published or could not be mapped.

Career pivot radar

Safer Career Alternatives

These options are selected from the same 923-occupation model. They favor a similar task/work profile with meaningfully lower estimated AI exposure. They are suggestions for exploration, not guarantees of job fit.

SAFER ALTERNATIVE