# Metal Fabricator (Fitter) (437A)

## Fast facts

| Trade code | 437A |
| --- | --- |
| Sector | Industrial |
| Classification | Voluntary trade |
| Certifying exam | Required (O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3) |
| Apprentice to journeyperson ratio | Not subject to a ratio |
| Red Seal trade | Yes |
| Active apprentices in Ontario | 543 (reported in Ontario's apprenticeship dataset) |
| Approved sponsors | 252 |
| Certifying body | Skilled Trades Ontario |

Last verified August 20, 2026 against the sources listed below.

## What does a metal fabricator (fitter) do?

A Metal Fabricator (Fitter) builds, assembles and repairs products made of ferrous and non ferrous metals for use in a wide variety of manufacturing and construction industries.

Skilled Trades Ontario describes the work of this trade as follows:

- reads and interprets engineered drawings, sketches, codes and standards
- plans the sequence of tasks and executes fabrication safely and efficiently
- performs calculations and applies shop formulas by using mathematical methods to develop patterns
- completes the task of measuring, marking and laying out a variety of plate and structural shapes
- sets up and operates trade specific machinery to cut and form parts to be assembled
- assembles and fits parts to form sub-assemblies or complete units used in the manufacturing process
- connects components using various welding processes and mechanical fasteners
- utilizes material handling, rigging, hoisting and lifting equipment safely
- performs job duties safely and with precision ensuring compliance with drawings and applicable codes and standards

## How long is the metal fabricator (fitter) apprenticeship?

The in-school portion of this apprenticeship runs to 3 levels. Skilled Trades Ontario does not publish a total hour requirement for this trade on its trade page; confirm the current requirement in the trade's apprenticeship training standard before signing an agreement.

## What do you study in school for the 437A?

The in-school portion covers, but is not limited to:

- applied trade practices, procedures, trade standards and codes
- trade calculations and shop formulas
- computer applications and documentation
- metal fabrication theory (Level 1, 2, 3)
- specific trade machinery applications
- welding and cutting processes in various positions
- rigging and hoisting
- quality control and inspection
- metallurgical principles
- destructive and non-destructive examination
- pattern and template development
- modes of communication

## Is metal fabricator (fitter) a compulsory trade in Ontario?

No. Metal Fabricator (Fitter) is a prescribed trade under section 1 of O. Reg. 876/21, but it is not on the compulsory list in section 2. That means you can legally work in this trade in Ontario without holding a Certificate of Qualification. Certification is voluntary and serves as formal proof of competency to employers and clients.

Voluntary classification only covers certification under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act. Specific work within the trade can still require separate licences or permits under other Ontario statutes, so confirm the rules for the actual work being done. The 23 trades where certification is mandatory are on the [compulsory trades list](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/compulsory/).

## How do you become a metal fabricator (fitter) in Ontario?

The apprenticeship pathway for this trade is administered by Skilled Trades Ontario under section 14 of the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021:

1. **Find a sponsor and register a training agreement.** An employer or union sponsor takes you on and the training agreement is registered with the ministry.
2. **Complete the on the job and in school training.** The skills are set out in the trade's Apprenticeship Training Standard, signed off by your sponsor as you demonstrate them, alongside levels of in school theory at a training delivery agent.
3. **Receive your Certificate of Apprenticeship.** Skilled Trades Ontario issues it when the program is complete.
4. **Pass the certifying exam.** This trade has a certifying exam under O. Reg. 876/21, s. 3. Passing it earns the Certificate of Qualification, the voluntary proof of qualification for this trade.

The exact training standard, current curriculum and program details are on the [Skilled Trades Ontario page for Metal Fabricator (Fitter)](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/metal-fabricator-fitter/). On the job hour requirements vary by trade and are not published on this page yet; confirm them in the training standard before signing an agreement.

## Is the 437A a Red Seal trade?

Yes. Metal Fabricator (Fitter) participates in the Interprovincial Red Seal Program, the national standard for the trade across Canada, stewarded by the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship. A Red Seal endorsement on an Ontario Certificate of Qualification means the qualification is recognized in other provinces and territories without re examination, which matters for workers moving between provinces and for employers hiring from outside Ontario.

The Red Seal exam for this trade, written under the national title Metal Fabricator (Fitter), has 130 multiple-choice questions, each with four possible answers and exactly one correct answer.

### How the 130 questions are distributed

| Activity | Questions |
| --- | --- |
| A. Performs common occupational skills | 34 |
| B. Fabricates components | 56 |
| C. Assembles components | 40 |

- [Red Seal exam breakdown for Metal Fabricator (Fitter): question counts by task](https://red-seal.ca/eng/trades/metalfabfit/exam-information.shtml)
- [Red Seal exam preparation checklist](https://red-seal.ca/eng/resources/preparation-checklist.shtml)
- [How to register for a Red Seal exam](https://red-seal.ca/eng/resources/register.shtml)

## Already experienced? The Trade Equivalency Assessment

Workers with experience from outside Ontario's apprenticeship system, or from another country, can apply for a Trade Equivalency Assessment instead of starting an apprenticeship. Approval requires verifiable evidence of competency in the trade's Training Standard and experience at least equal to the trade's total training time; if approved, you challenge the certifying exam directly. The assessment costs $235 plus HST, and a reassessment with new evidence costs $100 plus HST, per [Skilled Trades Ontario's Trade Equivalency Assessment page](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/experienced-workers/trade-equivalency-assessment/).

## Certification is not the only paperwork

A Certificate of Qualification covers the person. Running a business in the trade carries its own obligations: many Ontario municipalities require a contractor licence on top of personal certification, and construction employers must complete WSIB registration before work begins. Both are indexed on our sister site: [municipal contractor licensing requirements by city](https://ontariotraderegistry.ca/licensing/) and [WSIB Form 1000, registration of constructors and employers](https://ontariotraderegistry.ca/compliance/wsib-form-1000/), on Ontario Trade Registry.

## What does a metal fabricator (fitter) earn in Ontario?

| Median wage | $27.48 per hour |
| --- | --- |
| Low | $20.00 |
| High | $37.00 |
| Occupation measured | Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters (NOC 72104) |
| Reference period | 2023-2024 |

Published by Employment and Social Development Canada through Job Bank, for Ontario as a whole. Read it as the pay range for the occupational group this trade belongs to, not a guaranteed rate: one NOC code can cover more than one trade, and wages vary by region, employer and experience.

## Is the 437A recognised outside Ontario?

This trade has been part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program since 1991. 9 of Canada's 13 provinces and territories designate it Red Seal: AB, BC, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK, Ontario among them. Its National Occupational Classification code is 72104, which is how federal labour market data refers to this occupation.

## Where can you train as a metal fabricator (fitter) in Ontario?

| Public training providers | 11 colleges deliver the in-school portion |
| --- | --- |
| Private training providers | 5 |
| Approved sponsors | 252 employers registered to train apprentices |
| Apprentices in training | 543 |

Counts are from Ontario's published apprenticeships dataset. A sponsor is the employer or union that registers and trains the apprentice; you need one before an apprenticeship can start.

## How dangerous is industrial work in Ontario?

Ontario does not publish injury figures per trade, only by sector. In 2024 the Ministry of Labour recorded 27 worker fatalities and 2,148 critical injuries under the industrial health and safety program. See [the ten-year counts and what they leave out](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/safety/).

## Related Ontario trades

Other industrial sector trades with certification records on this registry:

- [Saw Filer/Fitter (611B) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/611b-saw-filer-fitter/)
- [Industrial Electrician (442A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/442a-industrial-electrician/)
- [Industrial Mechanic Millwright (433A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/433a-industrial-mechanic-millwright/)
- [Tool and Die Maker (430A) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/430a-tool-and-die-maker/)
- [Water Well Driller (605B) certification requirements](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/605b-water-well-driller/)
- [All 23 compulsory trades in Ontario](https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/compulsory/)

## Official verification sources

- Regulation[O. Reg. 876/21, Prescribed Trades and Related Matters (e-Laws)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/210876)
- Certifying body[Skilled Trades Ontario: Metal Fabricator (Fitter)](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/trade-information/metal-fabricator-fitter/)
- Act[Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 (e-Laws)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/21b28)
- Wages[Job Bank wage data, Employment and Social Development Canada](https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/adad580f-76b0-4502-bd05-20c125de9116)
- Red Seal profile[red-seal.ca: Metal Fabricator (Fitter) trade profile](https://red-seal.ca/eng/trades/metal-fab-fit.shtml)
- Participation data[Ontario open data: Apprenticeships dataset](https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/apprenticeships)Classification, exam requirement and ratio status on this page are read directly from O. Reg. 876/21 as consolidated on e-Laws, not from secondary summaries. Facts not yet verified against a primary source are marked as not published rather than estimated.

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Source: https://ontariocertificationregistry.ca/trades/437a-metal-fabricator-fitter/