Tool and Die Maker

Making moulds, dies, press tools, jigs and fixtures. Reading engineering drawings, machining on lathe, milling and grinding machines, using CAD software, and working on CNC and EDM machines. Checking finished parts with precision gauges.

A day in the work
A toolmaker often starts by reading the drawing for the next die or mould and checking the steel or material. Much of the morning goes to milling, turning, grinding or drilling to close limits, with frequent checks using gauges. In the afternoon you may fit the tool onto a press or moulding machine and test it. If a part comes out wrong, you find the fault and fix it before the next shift.

1. Class 9–10Build a solid base in Maths and Science. If your school has a workshop or vocational class, learn basic hand tools and simple drawing.
2. After Class 10Apply for an ITI seat in Tool and Die Maker. Choose between the Dies and Moulds trade and the Press Tools, Jigs and Fixtures trade. Admission runs through your state's ITI process. (reported — check with the official body)
3. ITI · Years 1–2The course runs over four semesters of about six months each. You learn drilling, turning, milling, grinding, CAD drafting, CNC and EDM, along with trade theory, employability skills and a project.
4. End of ITITake the National Council for Vocational Training trade test and receive the certificate (reported). (reported — check with the official body)
5. On the job · 1–2 yearsWork in a tool room, press shop or moulding unit. Build speed and accuracy, and learn to fix a tool that fails on the machine. Many toolmakers later move to CNC programming or tool-design work.

• ITI Tool and Die Maker (craftsmen training, two years)The most common entry. Taken after Class 10 with Science and Maths, at a government or private ITI. It mixes shop-floor practice, trade theory and a final project.
• Apprenticeship training scheme (ATS)A mix of basic training and on-the-job training at a company, over two years. Fresh students get about six months of basic training and about 18 months on the job. ITI pass-outs skip the basic part and do about 12 months on the job.
• CITD or CIPET diploma (reported)Longer diploma-level courses in tool design or plastics mould-making. I could not check their current entry rules, length or fees in this review, so confirm on their official websites before deciding.

Fees from: DGT curriculum (2025 notice), used for course structure only; it does not give fees. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay depends on your skill, your experience, the kind of factory you work in and the city. Entry-level pay is modest. Toolmakers who can handle CNC programming, CAD and precision inspection usually earn more as they gain experience.

• Class 7–9With an adult's permission, take apart a simple mechanical item such as a padlock or a ballpoint pen. Sketch how the parts fit together, and note which parts you think are made by machine.
• Class 10–12Read the first pages of the official DGT curriculum for Tool and Die Maker (Dies and Moulds). List the machines and skills it mentions, and check which ones you have never seen in your school.Open link ↗
• College or afterIf you join an ITI, ask your instructor whether the class can visit a local tool room or moulding unit. Notice how toolmakers check dimensions and how they record their work.

• The official DGT curricula list the NSQF level differently. The CTS version is level 4 and the ATS version is level 5. Check the level on the certificate you are offered.
• Work is precise and often done to very close tolerances, so patience with measuring matters as much as speed.
• Two ITI trades exist under the same name: Dies and Moulds (often linked to plastic and die-casting moulds) and Press Tools, Jigs and Fixtures. Ask the ITI which one you are joining and what machines it has.