Production · Holland code RCA

Model Makers, Wood

Construct full-size and scale wooden precision models of products. Includes wood jig builders and loft workers.

Also called: Craftsman, Model Maker, Sample Builder, Sample Maker, Builder, Jig Maker, Model Builder, Product Development Carpenter.

O*NET 51-7031.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $56,550; Middle half earn $37,660 to $87,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Post-Secondary Certificate; 31% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 3 of 5; Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Read blueprints, drawings, or written specifications, and consult with designers to determine sizes and shapes of patterns and required machine setups.
Fit, fasten, and assemble wood parts together to form patterns, models, or sections, using glue, nails, dowels, bolts, screws, and other fasteners.
Verify dimensions and contours of models during hand-forming processes, using templates and measuring devices.
Trim, smooth, and shape surfaces, and plane, shave, file, scrape, and sand models to attain specified shapes, using hand tools.
Plan, lay out, and draw outlines of units, sectional patterns, or full-scale mock-ups of products.
Construct wooden models, patterns, templates, full scale mock-ups, and molds for parts of products and production tools.
Select wooden stock, determine layouts, and mark layouts of parts on stock, using precision equipment such as scribers, squares, and protractors.
Mark identifying information on patterns, parts, and templates to indicate assembly methods and details.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Monitoring3.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension3.0 / 5
Speaking3.0 / 5
Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
Active Listening2.9 / 5
Active Learning2.8 / 5

Knowledge areas

Production and Processing4.0 / 5
Design3.8 / 5
Building and Construction3.6 / 5
Engineering and Technology3.4 / 5
Mathematics3.4 / 5
Administration and Management3.4 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic100
Investigative26
Artistic47
Social6
Enterprising10
Conventional50

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

woodcarver · DE Holzbildhauer/Holzbildhauerin · FR sculpteur sur bois/sculptrice sur bois
recreation model maker · DE Spielzeugmodellbauer/Spielzeugmodellbauerin · FR maquettiste de modèles réduits

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers (5442)36,100 employed
Carpenters and joiners (5316)175,400 employed
Other skilled trades n.e.c. (5449)35,600 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -0.73. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-7031).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test