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Try It by Career Calling

Metal Polisher

Technicians and Trades WorkersUsually a trade certificate or similar, or several years of experience

What the work is

Polishes metal to impart smooth, reflective and other finishes.

Would you enjoy the work?

These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.

  • Selects appropriate polishing materials and equipment
  • Applies polishing compounds or abrasive materials to metal surfaces
  • Uses hand tools or power tools to polish metal surfaces
  • Removes scratches, blemishes or other marks from metal surfaces
  • Grinds and smooths welded seams and joints
  • Inspects polished surfaces for defects or imperfections
  • Applies protective coatings or finishes to polished metal surfaces

Try it

A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a mobile farrier's ute and a small workshop beside a horse stable in a fictional country district. They are fictional.

The kind of days you could have

Good days

  • A horse that was limping walks out sound after a good trim and shoe
  • A forge fire running right and a hot piece of metal taking the shape you wanted
  • Owners who learn something about their horse's feet because you took time to show them

Hard days

  • A nervous horse, a long drive between jobs and a back that aches by afternoon
  • An owner who wants a quick fix for a hoof problem that needs time
  • Weather and distance that mess up the whole day's bookings

Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.

Work a mission

Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.

Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 331935, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.