Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations
Also called: Moulder, Pan smith, Coil smith, Tool smith, Coach smith, Plate smith, Plate bender, Plate fitter, Core moulder, Hand moulder, Iron moulder, Loam moulder
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.
Main tasks
- 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
How to become one
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.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Blacksmith (level 3). England. Typically 48 months. Skills England standard ST0378.
- Apprenticeship (England): Farrier (level 3). England. Typically 42 months. Skills England standard ST0172.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £37,058 a year
- About 10,600 people work in this job now, and about 10,100 are projected by 2035. (-5.6%)
Related jobs
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Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03