Takeover Tracker
25%medium risk
Solar Photovoltaic Installers
vs

71 shared · 10 different

core competencies

24%low risk
Sheet Metal Workers

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricSolar Photovoltaic InstallersSheet Metal Workers
Risk Score25.2%24.2%
Risk TierMedium RiskLow Risk
Risk Percentile20th17th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)6 / 157 / 15
Median Salary$51,860$60,850
Employment28K117K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Handling and Moving Objects
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Installation
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
English Language
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Engineering and Technology
Processing Information
Controlling Machines and Processes

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

29%

total discount

Sheet Metal Workers

27%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

6 of 15 at risk
86%Examine designs to determine current requirements for all parts of the photovoltaic (PV) system electrical circuit.
86%Visually inspect and test photovoltaic (PV) modules or systems.
84%Program, adjust, or configure inverters and controls for desired set points and operating modes.
74%Test operating voltages to ensure operation within acceptable limits for power conditioning equipment, such as inverters and controllers.
55%Identify installation locations with proper orientation, area, solar access, or structural integrity for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.

Sheet Metal Workers

7 of 15 at risk
86%Develop or lay out patterns, using computerized metalworking equipment.
86%Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
85%Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
84%Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
63%Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.

Wage Comparison

Sheet Metal Workers earns +$8,990(+17%) vs Solar Photovoltaic Installers
Solar Photovoltaic InstallersSheet Metal Workers
10th
$39,070$38,030
25th
$46,040$47,290
Median
$51,860$60,850
75th
$63,020$79,620
90th
$80,150$102,680

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Solar Photovoltaic Installers2028–2035
Sheet Metal Workers2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Sheet Metal Workers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Solar Photovoltaic Installers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Solar Photovoltaic Installers

$38,791

from $51,860

Sheet Metal Workers

$46,112

from $60,850

After adjusting for AI risk, Sheet Metal Workers offers $7,321 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Solar

0

Unique to Sheet

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Social Intelligence
Creativity
Decision Complexity
Regulatory Barriers
Solar Photovoltaic InstallersSheet Metal Workers
Find transitions from Solar Photovoltaic InstallersFind transitions from Sheet Metal Workers