PathLensSOUTH AFRICA · CLEARER PATHS. BRIGHTER OPTIONS.
Metal Machinist
OFO Code: 652301
Last checked 7 October 2026
1. Occupation identity
- OFO code
- 652301
- Occupation
- Metal Machinist
- Classification
- OFO 2021
- Major group
- SKILLED AGRICULTURAL, FORESTRY, FISHERY, CRAFT AND RELATED TRADES WORKERS
- Unit group
- 6523 · Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators
Official description
Metal working machine tool setters and operators set and/or operate, various machine tools working to fine tolerances.
Trade occupation in the OFO source
More official OFO detail
Specialisations: Tooling Mechanician, Machine Tool Operator, Turner Machinist (Automotive), Machine Tool Mechanician, Vertical Borer, Jig Borer, Fitter-machinist, Milling Machinist, Lathe Operator / Setter / Tradesperson, Machine Tool Setter, Turner (Metal), Turner Machinist, Machinist and Fitter (Automotive), Machine Setter, Automotive Machinist, Aircraft Machinist, CNC Machinist, Metal Machine Setter, Roll Turner, Machine Tool Fitter, Cabling technician
- Setting one or more types of machine tool for production of metal articles in standardised series
- Performing similar tasks when machining plastics and other metal substitutes
- Observing machine operations to detect work piece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary
- Changing worn machine accessories, such as cutting tools and brushes, using hand tools
- Operating and monitoring metalworking machines, such as lathes, milling, planning, boring, drilling, grinding or honing machines, including multi-purpose numerically controlled metalworking machines
- Inspecting work pieces for defects, and measuring work pieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments
2. Demand status
Demand evidence unavailable
No approved governed OIHD graph relationship is available on this deployment for this OFO code.
PathLens does not fall back to legacy specimen demand flags when governed evidence is unavailable.
A national demand signal is not a promise of a vacancy in your town.
3. Salary evidence
No approved governed salary observation or sourced snapshot salary record is available for this OFO code yet.
Open remuneration history & calculator →4. Quick EE check
How much might Employment Equity matter in this job context?
Answer three quick questions for a rough read. This is workforce context, not a hiring decision.
Select the employer size and your profile to get a quick read.
5. Qualification
Qualification evidence pending.
Understand NQF levels, institutions & recognition → Build my qualification pathway →6. Study funding
Check all funding options, eligibility & obligations →A funding match will only be shown once a recognised qualification or study route has been identified.
7. Industry, sector and provincial context
National occupation classification. Industry and provincial context are shown only where a separate official source supports the link.
No source-backed modern OFO↔SIC 7 industry link has been ingested for this occupation yet. PathLens does not infer one from the job title.
Browse the official South African industry classification →8. Next steps — official links
9. Decision tools
10. Sources for this page
- DHET Organising Framework for Occupations (OFO 2021) · Ingested · identity spine active
Canonical OFO identity data has been ingested and validated. 1511 occupation records are recorded in the ingest artifact. - DHET Occupations in High Demand · Validated pipeline · graph publication not confirmed
The governed OIHD pipeline is active, but a successful populated graph run is not currently confirmed on this deployment. - Critical Skills List · Monitored · occupation linkage pending
Official migration sources are monitored, but PathLens does not infer visa eligibility or occupation-level eligibility from monitoring alone. - QCTO qualifications and occupational certificates · Candidate staging ready · not published
Qualification staging and human review are implemented; no qualification↔OFO relationship is published without an explicit source identifier or governed human review. - Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey · Acquisition active · no approved evidence on this deployment
Official QLFS artifact discovery is active. Dataset-specific schema, weighting, reliability and review gates remain separate; a discovered artifact or executable estimator does not itself create a public claim. - SETA Sector Skills Plans / hard-to-fill vacancy tables · Partial · explicit source links only
PathLens preserves explicit source-backed SETA/activity links where present and does not infer modern SIC relationships from occupation titles.