Are the requirements for sheet metal engineers high? What skills are generally required?

From a software perspective: you must first know AUTOCAD, which is the most basic two-dimensional software, and secondly, you must be proficient in a three-dimensional software.

Because sheet metal engineers are divided into design engineers and process engineers, if you just do the process and make expanded drawings, just two-dimensional.

If you want to do structural design, you must be proficient in a three-dimensional software. Currently, the three-dimensional software used most for sheet metal design is: PRO/E ,SOLIDWORKS...

From a knowledge perspective: you need to understand the bending coefficient and the sheet metal production process, such as: blanking, punching, bending, welding, spraying, assembly, etc. etc. You also need to understand the properties of various materials, as well as some plastic parts, etc.