Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 5212 · Skilled trades occupations

Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations

Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations mark off, drill, shape, position, rivet and seal metal plates and girders to form structures and frameworks operate power hammers and presses to shape heated metal to requirements and to make and repair a variety of metal articles and make moulds and cores for casting metal and pour or inject molten metal into dies.

How people enter it

Entrants typically possess GCSEs/S grades. Training is usually via apprenticeship including practical experience and technical training. NVQs at levels 2 and 3 are available.

What the work involves

examines drawings and specifications to determine operational requirements
marks out metal plate with guidelines and reference points and cuts metal plate using hand or machine tools
uses machine tools to bend, curve, punch, drill and straighten metal plate as required
uses hydraulic jacks to position and align metal platework or frame for welding and bolting and rivets together metal plate and girders
creates mould units out of sand, loam or plaster by hand or machine and fits cores into mould to form hollow parts in casting
seals seams with caulking compound, smooths welds, fixes metal doors, metal collars, portholes, tank and hatch covers and performs other metal plate finishing tasks using a variety of hand and power tools
heats metal for forging and positions heated metal on anvil or other work surface
operates press or hammer and repositions workpiece between strokes
uses forging tools to shape and cut metal and bends or shapes metal by hand forging methods using hammers, punches, drifts and other hand tools
tempers and hardens forged pieces, as required, by quenching in oil or water
fits and secures horses shoes
scoops molten metal from furnace into die or die casting machine

Also called

Boiler maker · Core Maker (metal trades) · Die Caster · Chain repairer · Farrier · Moulder and coremaker · Pewtersmith · Pipe Maker (foundry) · Steel presser

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	10,000.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	10,200.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	10,400.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	10,700.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	None	2026-03	—	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	900.00	2026-03
East Midlands	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
London	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
North East	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
North West	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	1,000.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
Scotland	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
South East	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	1,700.00	2026-03
South West	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	2,000.00	2026-03
Wales	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	withheld	2026-03
West Midlands	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	2,700.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	5212 : Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations	None	1,300.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 6 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Pipe fitters · Sheet metal workers · Welding trades