Metal working machine operatives

£26,071

Average salary

Average annual salary UK 2020 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

45 hours

Average weekly hours

Average weekly hours UK 2019 | Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

8.48%

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate UK 2020 | Labour Force Survey

Definition: Metal working machine operatives

*SOC Code (Standard Occupational Classification): 8125

Metal working machine operatives operate machines to cut, shape, abrade and otherwise machine metal, use hand and power tools to remove surplus metal and rough surfaces from castings, forgings or other metal parts, and clean, smooth and polish metal workpieces.

Common tasks include:

secures workpiece in drilling, boring, milling, planing, grinding, lapping, honing, electrochemical, or other shaping machines, or loads metal stock on to press;
sets controls, starts machine and operates controls to feed tool to workpiece or vice versa and repositions workpiece during machining as required;
withdraws workpiece and examines accuracy using measuring instruments;
operates burning, chipping and grinding equipment to remove defects from metal parts, and files, chisels, burns and saws off surplus metal;
smoothes rough surfaces with hand tools, abrasive belts and wheels, compressed air, jets of vapour, or blasting with shot, grit, sand or other abrasive material;
selects and secures polishing head to machine tool, prepares head with emery, grease or other substance, sets speed and angle of polishing head, and operates controls to feed polishing head to workpiece or vice versa.

Qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically received on-the-job. NVQs/SVQs in Engineering Machining are available.

*Introduced in 1990, SOC is a multi-purpose common classification of occupations in UK. Jobs are defined in terms of skill level and skill content, including qualifications, training and work experience.

Employment status: Metal working machine operatives

Regional employment: Metal working machine operatives

Future employment: Metal working machine operatives

Top 12 industries: Metal working machine operatives

Alternative & related job titles: Metal working machine operatives

Filer (metal trades) Attendant, lathe Medallist Sleever (electrical goods mfr) Polisher (brass musical instruments mfr) Maker, roller (textile machinery mfr) Weaver (wire goods mfr) Cutter, guillotine (metal trades) Beader (tin box mfr) Bobber, emery Filer, pattern Machinist, router (metal trades) Dresser (metal trades) Finisher (cock founding) Machinist, planing (metal trades) Rifler, barrel Operator, tool, machine Maker, sink Taperer (metal trades) Machinist, screwing Operator, lathe (metal trades) Screwer, tube Hand, turret Rubber-down (jewellery, plate mfr) Finisher, brass Polisher, gold Machinist, punching (metal trades) Seamer, hollow-ware Blaster, shot Machinist, capsule Lapper (metal trades) Fraiser Man, filter (metal trades) Polisher, hame Presser, draw Worker, box, metal Marker (needle mfr) Machinist, hand (metal trades) Presser, steam Bumper (tin box mfr) Finisher, satin (metal trades) Shaper, blades, airscrew Maker, screen, malt Maker, bolt (clock mfr) Machinist, screwer Maker, spring, flat Mate, stamper's Finisher (metal fastening mfr) Operator, mill, boring Finisher, bobbin, brass Reamerer, barrel Cleaner, steel (foundry) Sander (metal trades) Turner, shell Machinist, capstan Stamper, die Masker Worker, bronze, ornamental Worker, bronze, architectural Modeller (art metal work mfr) Operator, bullard Flanger (sheet metal working) Channeller (metal trades) Cutter, knife, machine (metal trades) Machinist, metal Shaper (metal trades) Maker, clip, wire Maker, sinker Bobber (arc welding electrode mfr) Attendant, mill (metal goods mfr) Chipper, tyre Filer, spoon and fork Machinist, polishing (metal trades) Worker, metal, art Worker, brass Coiner Scrubber, chair Machinist, profiling Puncher, rail Maker, case, spring Machinist, buffing (metal trades) Presser-out (textile machinery mfr) Machinist, cap, bottle Presser, hydraulic (metal trades) Presser, ring Feeder, tack Polisher, bobbin Worker, press (metal trades) Operator, tapping Settler (fish hook mfr) Presser, power (metal trades) Puller, stamp Scratcher (metal trades) Maker, guard, fork Folder, box (tin box mfr) Cutter (steel pen mfr) Machinist, honing Folder (drum, keg mfr) Operator, mill, plano Blower, shot Maker, bridge Stamper, gold (jewellery, plate mfr) Floater, tube Cutter, gold Profiler Machinist, reamering Turner, brass Machinist, cycle Machinist, shaping (metal trades) Tumbler (metal trades) Brusher, wire Maker, weight Sharpener, tool Puncher, fishplate Polisher, mirror (cutlery mfr) Stamper, hollow-ware Dresser, box, axle Floater (metal trades) Machinist, shaper Fettler (metal trades) Operator, wheelabrator Seamer (metal trades) Maker, bar, steel (textile machinery mfr) Maker, blade, razor Polisher, cutlery Cutter-off (iron pipe mfr) Trimmer, needle Machinist, centering Notcher (tin box mfr) Cleaner, metal Slotter (needle mfr) Finisher, propeller (ships' propeller mfr) Polisher, barrel Puncher, eye Machinist, seaming (metal trades) Machinist, bending, press Operator, drill Machinist, automatic Twister, wire, hat Lapper, jeweller's Maker, spring, lock Rougher (foundry) Brusher (scissors mfr) Machinist, anocut Trimmer (metal fastening mfr) Polisher, sand Cutter, rotary (metal trades) Operator (Royal Mint) Maker, dab Dresser, steel Polisher, jewellery Grinder, ball Maker, stamp, bleacher's Cutter, test (rolling mill) Cutter, wire Perforator (metal trades) Trimmer (tin box mfr) Cutter (metal fastening mfr) Machinist (railway workshops) Glazer (metal trades) Batterer Stamper (metal trades) Engineer, nos Scraper, metal Machinist, slotter Cutter, rasp Machinist, making, chain Honer Operator, router Maker, nut Machinist, tool Fettler Sharpener, pick Polisher, lathe (metal trades) Machinist, nos (engineering) Fettler, core Polisher, brass Man, vice Machinist (metal trades) Stamper, metal Pointer (needle mfr) Cutter, key Grinder (precious metal, plate mfr) Operator, grinder Broacher Machinist, grinding, shaft Deburrer Dresser, plate Latcher (needle mfr) Blaster, sand Finisher, smith's Dresser, scissors Bobber Machinist, sealing, metal, automatic Cutter-up, scrap Machinist, action Tracker (ball bearing mfr) Wheelabrator Worker, iron, art Machinist, room, tool Stamper, cold Breaker-off (foundry) Marker (fish hook mfr) Cutter, cable Rumbler Presser, component Cutter-off (metal trades) Buffer Machinist, slotting Lapper, gear Trimmer, blade (aircraft mfr) Scourer (foundry) Presser, tool Fettler, castings Turner, optical Worker, lathe Maker, coin Finisher (foundry) Machinist, lapping (metal trades) Presser, stamping Flattener (metal trades) Finner Burnisher (metal trades) Feeder (metal fastening mfr) Cleaner, casting Marker (metal cutlery mfr) Presser, machine (metal trades) Cutter, panel Bobber and polisher, spur Attendant, punch Weaver, cloth, wire Presser, hand (metal trades) Worker, spoon and fork Worker, metal, architectural Machinist, fettling (metal trades) Hand, capstan, brass Slotter (metal trades) Machinist, flanging Polisher (metal trades) Threader (bolt, nail, nut, rivet, screw mfr) Machinist, bearing, ball Blower, sand Glazer, cutlery Cutter, blank (spoon, fork mfr) Stamper, brass Polisher, steel, stainless Pronger (fork mfr) Dollier (silversmiths) Dresser (type foundry) Attendant, automatic Machinist, dressing (metal trades) Machinist, screw, automatic Machinist (garage) Machinist, broaching Maker, ferrule Polisher, lime Blaster, vapour Operator, blast, shot Operator, auto Flanger (tin box mfr) Dresser, iron Finisher (brass foundry) Maker, can Polisher, plate (precious metal, plate mfr) Operator, room, tool Machinist, cutting, gear Holer, flyer Grinder, castings Brusher-in, scratch Puncher, bar, steel Wirer, box Machinist, press (metal trades) Puncher, tip, shoe Belter Grinder, emery (steelworks) Operator, blast, sand Cutter (metal cable mfr) Polisher, plater's Presser, tube Machinist (Royal Mint) Cutter (metal cutlery mfr) Attendant, plant, blast, shot Polisher, die Machinist, drilling (metal trades) Machinist, engineer's Polisher, roller Machinist, blasting, vapour Screwer (metal trades) Shaver, gear Dresser, casting Shaper, die Machinist, stamping (metal trades) Dresser, wheel Presser, coining Maker, nail Fettler, shop, machine Machinist, nosing Machinist, mill, boring Machinist, brass Machinist, textile (textile machinery mfr) Cutter (metal trades) Polisher, roll (tinplate mfr) Groover (metal trades) Stamper, drop (sheet metal goods mfr) Maker, key Frazer (metal trades) Piercer (pen nib mfr) Trimmer, box (steelworks) Pointer, hook, fish Tapper, nut and socket (tube fittings mfr) Cleaner, iron Reamer Trimmer, steel Cutter, pin Cutter, bar Brightener Dresser, metal Puncher and shearer Feeder (sheet metal working) Operator, capstan Puncher (metal trades) Chamferer Operator, press, hand (jewellery, plate mfr) Roller, thread Brusher, scratch Linisher Trimmer (needle mfr) Trimmer (metal trades) Fluter Cleaner, ring Barreller Polisher, metal Polisher, silver Hand, lathe Blaster, grit Reamerer (metal trades) Cutter, billet (steelworks) Polisher, emery Cutter, metal Maker, cap (electric lamp mfr) Polisher, frame Slotter, frame Machinist, tapping Operative, can, tin Operator, milling (metal trades) Sinker, counter Machinist, window, metal Cramper Cutter, silver Grinder, cast, rough Operator, mill (steel foundry) Pumicer Machinist (coal mine: above ground) Machinist (atomic energy establishment) Bottomer (metal goods mfr) Stripper (metal trades) Fettler, brass Attendant, auto Operator, embosser (engineering) Cutter, circle Fluter, drill Cutter, tube Cutter, rail Operator, profile Tipper, metal Grinder (foundry) Kicker (metal stamping) Machinist, copying Seater, key Dresser, core Machinist, weaving, wire Rubber-off (foundry) Machinist, hobbing Corrugator (galvanised sheet mfr) Fettler, iron Worker, tin, fancy Dresser, pipe Mopper (metal trades) Filer, foundry Polisher, cycle Maker, spring, carriage Machinist, sanding Stamper, silver Machinist, sinking, die Brusher (foundry) Cleaner (foundry) Tapper (bolt, nail, nut, rivet, screw mfr) Cutter, machine, punching (metal trades) Polisher, spoon and fork Polisher, mould Maker, key (clock mfr) Worker, metal, ornamental Lapper, barrel Operator, turret Worker, process (metal trades) Polisher, tin Maker, cap, butt Chipper (fish hook mfr) Hydro-blaster Dresser, tube Presser, fly (cutlery mfr) Machinist, box, axle Presser Facer (metal fastening mfr) Eyer Cupper, shell Man, lathe Presser (metal trades) Embosser (metal trades) Tacker (tack mfr)

Equality focus: Metal working machine operatives

Breaking down the official government big data sources by gender, age and region. Hours and pay data based on full time equlivalent roles.