Metal making and treating process operatives Pay Data UK — 2025

Metal making and treating process operatives roles in the UK earn a median of £36,500 per year, equivalent to £16.84 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 14.0% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £30,000 in North West to £40,500 in South East. Pay has risen over the past 4 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £32,871/yr (11% above our computed national average).

Labour Market

Employment figures from ONS Annual Population Survey (APS). Counts are estimates; suppressed cells (small samples) are excluded from totals.

Pay by Region

Annual pay for Metal making and treating process operatives across UK regions. The bar shows the typical pay range (25th–75th percentile); the diamond marks the median.

Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).

How Pay Has Changed Over Time

Annual pay grew by +14.0% from 2024 to 2025.

National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot. Shaded band shows 25th–75th percentile range.

Year-on-Year Pay Change

Annual percentage change in median pay for Metal making and treating process operatives.

Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.

About Metal making and treating process operatives

Metal making and treating process operatives operate furnaces, ovens and other heating vessels, drawing, rolling, extruding, galvanising, forging and other metal processing equipment to smelt, shape, coat and treat metal and metal products.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• charges furnace, operates controls to regulate furnace temperature, and adds oxidising, alloying and fluxing agents as required
• withdraws samples of molten metal for analysis, taps slag from surface of molten metal and directs flow of molten metal into casts
• sets rolling speed, tension and space between rolls, guides the metal to and from rollers, and monitors the rolling process to detect irregularities, and ensure that the gauge and finish match required specifications
• operates equipment to remove dirt, scale and other surface impurities by immersion in chemical solution
• heats metal or metal articles in furnace, allows to cool for a specified time or quenches in brine, oil or water to harden, reduces brittleness and restores ductility
• operates piercing, extruding, pressing and other metal processing equipment to shape and treat metal or metal articles
• coats metal parts and articles electrolytically, forms metal articles by electro- and vacuum-deposition, dips and sprays articles with another metal, plastic powder or material and treats articles chemically to produce desired finishes

Entry Routes and Qualifications

There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational qualifications at level 2 and 3 in relevant areas, including metal and materials processing and finishing. are available.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.