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Job Description

Overview

Bates Air Conditioning is seeking motivated individuals for the entry-level position of HVAC Sheet Metal Fabricator in Houston, TX. The company offers training and support for those looking to start a career in commercial HVAC, focusing on building custom duct systems for various projects.

Responsibilities

  • Learn commercial HVAC sheet metal fabrication from experienced team members
  • Measure, cut, and assemble sheet metal ductwork for commercial HVAC systems
  • Assist in building custom duct systems using galvanized steel, aluminum, and stainless steel
  • Operate fabrication equipment such as shears, brakes, rollers, and plasma tables (training provided)
  • Read shop drawings and blueprints with guidance from experienced fabricators
  • Inspect finished work for quality, fit, and accuracy
  • Keep the shop clean, organized, and operating safely
  • Follow company safety standards and OSHA guidelines

Requirements

  • 0–2 years of sheet metal fabrication, construction, manufacturing, welding, or HVAC experience
  • Mechanical aptitude and a willingness to learn a skilled trade
  • Ability to read a tape measure and perform basic math
  • Strong work ethic, reliability, and attention to detail
  • Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work safely in a shop environment
  • Experience reading blueprints is helpful but not required
  • Trade school, vocational training, or fabrication experience is a plus, but not required

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • 401k
  • PTO

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
401k
PTO
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How this job compares in Houston, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $18/hr, this posting comes in about 35% below the $27/hr median for welding jobs in Houston, TX, where the middle half runs $22–$33/hr across 86 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 6% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Houston, TX

We're tracking 352 other active welding openings in Houston, TX right now, from 194 different employers. 98 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,208 other active welding openings from 547 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Houston, or widen the search to Texas.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Austin Industries (33), Welding Shop in Austin, TX (27), and Zachry Group (21). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Pasadena at $36/hr, Dallas at $35/hr, and Midlothian at $35/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Houston, TX

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. HVAC Sheet Metal Fabricator (Entry Level) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.