Explore Careers - Job Market Report

Tool and Die Makers (NOC 7232)

Mauricie Region

Additional information on Description, Titles, Duties and Related Occupations

Description | Titles | Duties | Related Occupations

Tool and die makers make, repair and modify custom-made, prototype or special tools, dies, jigs, fixtures and gauges using various metals, alloys and plastics which require precise dimensions. They are employed primarily in manufacturing industries such as automobile, aircraft, metal fabrication, electrical machinery and plastics, and in tool and die, mould making and machine shops. This unit group also includes metal patternmakers and metal mould makers.

Included Job Titles

die finisher, die maker, jig maker, metal mould maker, metal patternmaker, metal patternmaker apprentice, mould maker – plastics processing, mould maker apprentice, tool and die maker, tool and die maker apprentice, toolmaker.

View all

Job Duties

Tool and die makers perform some or all of the following duties:

Read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications of tools, dies, prototypes or models
Prepare templates and sketches, and determine work processes
Compute dimensions and tolerances and set up machine tools
Position, secure, measure and work metal stock or castings to lay out for machining
Set up, operate and maintain a variety of conventional and computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tools to cut, turn, mill, plane, drill, bore, grind or otherwise shape workpiece to prescribed dimensions and finish
Verify machined parts for conformance to specifications using precision measuring instruments such as vernier callipers, micrometers, co-ordinate measuring machines (CMM) and electronic measuring devices
Fit and assemble or disassemble parts using hand tools
Test completed tools, dies, jigs or fixtures for proper operation
May program CNC machine tools.

Metal patternmakers perform some or all of the following duties:

Machine, fit and assemble castings and other parts to make precision models of required shape such as metal patterns, core boxes and match plates
Lay out, shape and assemble patterns of metal, wood, plastic and other materials from blueprints, models or templates
May program CNC machine tools.

Metal mould makers perform some or all of the following duties:

Machine, fit and assemble parts to make metal moulds and cores for plastic injection moulding, or other production processes
May program CNC machine tools.

Related Occupations

Additional information on included Cities in Region and Service Canada Offices

Included Cities in Region | Service Canada Offices

Included Cities in this region

Trois-Rivières, Louiseville, Shawinigan, Grand-Mère, La Tuque, Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap, Saint-Louis-de-France, Saint-Tite, Shawinigan-Sud, Les Vieilles-Forges

View all

Service Canada Offices

View a list of Service Canada offices in this area.

Outlook & Prospects for Tool and Die Makers in Mauricie Region

The future forecast and current conditions for an occupation can vary based on location or due to changes in the economy, technology, or demand for a product or service.

National Outlook – 10-Year Projection (2011-2020)

This section provides labour demand and labour supply projections for this occupation over the 2011-2020 period.

Note: The tables, graphs and middle paragraph shown under this section display updated 2011-2020 projection results. The remaining narrative text (2009-2018 projections) will be updated shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The data in the following table are derived from HRSDC’s Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS). COPS uses a variety of models to produce a detailed 10-year labour market projection per broad skill level and per occupation at the national level, which focuses on the trends of labour supply and labour demand over the next ten years.

This occupation (Tool and Die Makers) is part of a larger occupational group called Machinists and Related Occupations (NOC 723).

Table on the demographic profile for your chosen occupation at the national level.
Occupations in this group	Machinists and Machining and Tooling Inspectors (7231) Tool and Die Makers (7232)
Employment (non-student) in 2010	52,117
Median Age of workers in 2010	41
Average Retirement Age in 2010	64

Occupation Projection for Canada

Over the 2008-2010 period, this occupation experienced a significant decline in employment and a significant rise in the unemployment rate. This is due to the difficulties faced by the manufacturing sector in recent years, especially following the recent recession. However, wages increased more than the average for all occupations. According to key labour market indicators, the number of job seekers was more than sufficient to fill the job openings in this occupation.

Over the 2011-2020 period, an occupation will be in excess demand (a shortage of workers) if the projected number of job openings is significantly greater than the projected number of job seekers. An occupation will be in excess supply (a surplus of workers) if the projected number of job openings is smaller than the projected number of job seekers. For Machinists And Related Occupations, over the 2011-2020 period, job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) are expected to total 17,918 and 16,883 job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) are expected to be available to fill the job openings.

Based on projections and considering that there were indications of excess supply in this occupation, excess supply is expected to continue over the 2011-2020 period. Expansion demand, which was negative over the 2001-2010 period, will be positive and will represent 30% of job openings over the projection period. This return to growth will come from economic recovery in several manufacturing industries over the next few years. Most job openings in this occupation will be due to replacement needs. The retirement rate will fall within the average for all occupations. As for labour supply, school leavers will be the main source of job seekers over the projection period. The outflow of workers toward other occupations is expected to continue over the projection period, albeit on a smaller scale than in the previous decade. This outflow of workers was the result of problems in the manufacturing sector in recent years and exacerbated by the recent recession.

This Chart contains data for Projection of Job Openings vs. Job Seekers for Canada. Information is available in the following tables.

Table of job opening projections for the occupational group containing your chosen occupation.
Category	Openings	%
Expansion Demand	5,117	29%
Retirements	9,989	56%
Other Replacement Demand	1,650	9%
Emigration	1,161	6%
Projected Job Openings	17,918	100%

Table of job seeker projections for the occupational group containing your chosen occupation.
Category	Seekers	%
School Leavers	13,120	78%
Immigration	4,705	28%
Other	-942	-6%
Projected Job Seekers	16,883	100%

[ Source: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) ]

In which industry or sector do people in this occupation find jobs in Canada?

This table shows the industry and sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.

This table shows the industry sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.
Industry / Sector	%
Manufacturing	87.90
Wholesale trade	2.60
Other services (except public administration)	2.40

[ Source: 2006 Census - Statistics Canada | Legal note ]

What percentage of people in this occupation are self-employed?

The graph displays the percentage of people in this occupation who are “self-employed”, according to the 2006 Census, in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

As shown in the graph, according to the 2006 Census, 7% of people in this occupation were self-employed, while the average for all occupations was 12%.

The data from the Labour Force Survey (2009) regarding self-employment for this group are not sufficiently reliable to be published.

[ Source: Labour Force Survey - Statistics Canada | Legal note ]

What percentage of people in this occupation are members of a union?

This occupation (Tool and Die Makers) is part of a larger group called Machinists and Related Occupations (NOC 723). According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), the unionization rate for this group was 33%, while the unionization rate for all occupations was 31%.