Category: Fab Shop Tips

As the skilled trades shortage deepens, industry projections warn that unfilled positions across manufacturing and infrastructure could risk up to $1 trillion in annual economic losses by 2030. For decades, the collective response from the manufacturing sector has been to treat this as a cultural or educational marketing problem. Companies launch nationwide awareness campaigns, sponsor high school shop class tours, and build robust regional apprenticeship pipelines.

Recently in the Metal Fabrication Tips social media group, a member asked for feedback from other fabricators: “I’m starting my first fabrication shop job this summer—what are the main skills and things I should focus on learning?”

For over a century, aluminum has been a critical construction component in the aerospace industry. From the Wright brothers’ first crankcase to the sleek skins of modern commercial jets, its unique properties have made it indispensable. While composites are the “new frontier,” aluminum remains the pragmatic king of the hangar. However, working with aluminum in an aerospace context isn’t just about bending metal; it’s a high-stakes discipline where material science meets precision craftsmanship.