Foundry Process Operator

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £25,000

Typical Hours

41 to 43 a week

between 8am and 6pm on shifts

How To Become a Foundry Process Operator

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

You can do an engineering course at college, which may help when you start looking for work. Courses include:

Level 1 Certificate in Skills for Engineering
Level 1 Diploma In Engineering and Manufacturing
Level 2 Certificate in Engineering

2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apprenticeship

You can complete an engineering operative intermediate apprenticeship or a metal casting and foundry technician advanced apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply to foundries for work if you've got experience in engineering, factory production or metal fabrication.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with your hands
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with others
the ability to use your initiative
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
concentration skills
the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

controlling the furnaces that melt metal
putting together wax patterns used in castings
transferring molten metal from the furnace to moulds
operating die casting machines
grinding surplus metal off castings with abrasive wheels
using shot blasting machinery to clean castings

Working Environment

You could work in a foundry workshop.

Your working environment may be hot and physically demanding.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

You can move into supervisory jobs or more skilled foundry work, like pattern making, moulding or coremaking.

With further training, you could switch to other areas of engineering, like welding, metal fabrication or industrial blacksmithing.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in the metals industry from the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers and Tomorrow's Engineers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.