13 Key Attributes Structural Iron And Steel Workers Need To Succeed In Their Career

by Noah Smith

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Occupational Safety&Health Administration

Structural iron and steel workers raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. They may also erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.

The core tasks that structural iron and steel workers are likely to carry out include:

Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
Hoist steel beams, girders, and columns into place, using cranes, or signal hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural-steel members.
Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
Ride on girders or other structural steel members to position them or use rope to guide them into position.

In order to successfully forge ahead with their careers, analysts in a survey carried out by U.S. Department of Labor (via O*NET) have marked out the following as important attributes that structural iron and steel workers would need. These attributes have been selected from characteristics and requirements strongly associated with the occupation. They are

Abilities: Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
Interests: Preferences for work environments. Occupational Interest Profiles (OIPs) are compatible with Holland's (1985, 1997) model of personality types and work environments. Six interest categories are used to describe the work environment of occupations: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. An OIP consists of six numerical scores indicating how descriptive and characteristic each work environment (or interest area) is for an occupation
Knowledge: Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains
Skills: These include basic skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge. Plus cross-functional skills, which are developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Style: Personal characteristics that can affect how well someone performs a job

We have listed out attributes which were scored 80% or more in terms of importance by the analysts.

Having a strong preference for realistic work environments. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Attribute Type: Interests Score: 100%

Being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 93%

Being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 92.8%

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 90%

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 87.6%

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Attribute Type: Knowledge Score: 87.2%

Being honest and ethical.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85.4%

A willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Attribute Type: Style Score: 85%

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 85%

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 82.6%

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%

The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Attribute Type: Abilities Score: 80%