Ever heard a metal fabrication shop manager talk about career path management? It almost never happens.

Some would say they don’t have time for that. They would think they just need to keep working. That’s why some of them can’t push their luck to the edge. But if they knew the steps towards a successful career path management in metal fabrication, their companies would have been on the better side of the equation.

Lucky you. I got the magic mantra to a successful career in metal fabrication.

Step One: Management training should start from the top

Bad management leads to bad processes like bad metal bending parts, uneven laser cutting products, unprofessional steel fabrication, etc.

“How,” you ask?

The math is simple. A not-so-good supervisor or manager will never know the difference between a good employee and an unprofessional one. Mainly because he is not trained to do this or he just inherits the place from their ancestors and didn’t have to build it from scratch. Either way, his career in metal fabrication won’t be a good start and it won’t end with awards too.

Besides, if a good employee sees that his boss is not well trained to appreciate his work, he’ll leave anyway.

Step Two: Setting up a clear performance expectations

It’s hard to discuss employee career plan unless you have a proper assessment of their current performance.

If the supervisor doesn’t know how his metal rolling operator is performing, how would he know what to expect? It’s not only about metal rolling, it’s true for welding, metal bending or any other stainless steel fabrication and aluminium fabrication processes.

So, assessing your annual and monthly performing will be your next step to predict your future performance.

Step Three: Know different paths

If you ask a well-performing press brake operator if he would like to become the manager, he’ll nod his head without any doubt.

But if you personally ask him why he wants to be the manager, he’ll say for the higher pay grade. It’s not his fault. Everyone likes to get paid higher. But if the operator becomes the manager without any training, what’ll happen to the company. That’s why a metal fabricator should think other ways to pay their employee better. They should be paid higher only because he is becoming the new manager or supervisor. The pay grade increase should also not be based on seniority. It should only be on the performance basis.

Step Four: Be practical and honest

Employees are bound to leave the company if they are not paid well or they are not appreciated enough. When they see a better opportunity to grow, they will flee.

But a small company may not be able to convince him to stay. Some might not have the opportunity to give him that he deserves. But you should give him false hope. Be honest and practical. If you are a good boss, he might listen to you and stay there for a while.

That’s why metal fabricators need to be honest and practical about the future. If they are not, the company that he built from scratch, might not survive that long because unhappy employees result in unsatisfied clients.