Metal nibbling operator
Also called nibbling drill operator, nibbling drill operative, nibbling drill technician
Metal nibbling operators cut detailed patterns from metal surfaces by using manual or powered metal nibblers, such as a handheld nibbling drill or a nibbling machine.
What you'd do
Metal working machine tool setters and operators · ILO- Setting one or more types of machine tool for production of metal articles in standardized series
- Operating and monitoring metal working machines, such as lathes, milling, planing, boring, drilling, grinding or honing machines, including multipurpose numerically controlled metal working machines
- Performing similar tasks when machining plastics and other metal substitutes
- Observing machine operations to detect work piece defects or machine malfunctions, and adjusting machines as necessary
- Inspecting work pieces for defects, and measuring work pieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates or other measuring instruments
- Changing worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools and brushes, using hand tools
- Indoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Lots of contact with people
- Good freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospects14 EU countries are short of metal working machine tool setters and operators now, but fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,200 a month (Bulgaria) to €5,100 (Denmark), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Upper secondary or vocationalUpper secondary or vocational training in mechanics and metal trades is the usual route.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.18 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 6 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for metal working machine tool setters and operators. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).