Occupation 8131 · Process, plant and machine operatives
Paper and wood machine operatives operate machines to treat and cut wood, to produce, treat and cut paper, paperboard, leatherboard, plasterboard and similar material, and to assemble and make wooden crates and containers.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically provided on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs/vocational qualifications in Fibreboard Operations at levels 2 and 3, and apprenticeships are available. NVQs/SVQs/vocational- qualifications in Wood Machining are available at levels 2.
Box maker (cardboard) · Guillotine operator (printing) · Machinist (paper goods mfr) · Sawyer · Wood machinist
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 17,100.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 18,800.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 20,800.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 700.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 2,000.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 21,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | None | 2026-03 | 1,700.00 | 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 | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 1,600.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 600.00 | 2026-03 |
| North East | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 1,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| North West | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 4,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 700.00 | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 2,000.00 | 2026-03 |
| South East | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 1,100.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 1,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 1,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 2,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8131 : Paper and wood machine operatives | None | 2,700.00 | 2026-03 |
ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 11 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.
Energy plant operatives · Mining and quarry workers and related operatives · Plant and machine operatives n.e.c. · Printing machine assistants · Water and sewerage plant operatives