Occupation 8114 · Process, plant and machine operatives
Plastics process operatives attend and operate moulding, extruding, thermoforming, calendering, covering, cutting and other process equipment to make and repair plastic products.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job, supplemented by specialised courses. NVQs/SVQs in Performing Manufacturing Operations at levels 1 and 2 and apprenticeships are available.
Extrusion operator (plastics mfr) · Fabricator (plastics mfr) · Injection moulder · Laminator (fibreglass) · Process worker (plastic goods mfr)
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 16,100.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 17,200.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 17,400.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 900.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | — | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) Not published: Estimate is less than 500 |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 18,200.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 1,100.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
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 | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 700.00 | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 3,300.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| North East | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| North West | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 1,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| South East | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 2,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 1,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 1,100.00 | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 2,400.00 | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8114 : Plastics process operatives | None | 3,000.00 | 2026-03 |
ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 9 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.
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.
Chemical and related process operatives · Food, drink and tobacco process operatives · Metal making and treating process operatives · Process operatives n.e.c. · Textile process operatives