jobfacts

Chemical and related process operatives

SOC 2020 8113

Chemical and related process operatives operate machinery in the processing of chemical and related materials by chemical, heat or other treatment, manufacture synthetic materials and bleach, dye or otherwise treat textiles, and treat hides, skins and pelts for making into fur, leather and skin products.

Also calledChemical plant process operatorChemical process operatorChemical plant workerPlant operatorPainterVarnish makerand 821 more titles
Typical full-time pay£34,0002025 Provisional
People in the job34,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month675↓ 3.8%on last year · 232nd of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time chemical and related process operatives earn between £28,800 and £42,500 a year.

What full-time chemical and related process operatives earn, 2025
£34,000 typical£24,100lowest 10%£28,80025%£42,50075%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£28,800–£42,500)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£24,100
Lowest 20% earn less than£27,400
25%£28,800
Median£34,000
75%£42,500
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £34,000
Scotland!£39,100
Yorkshire and The Humber!£36,300
North West!£35,200
East of England!£32,400
East Midlands!£31,100
West Midlands!£30,500
North EastNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £34,000
Scotland£39,100 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£36,300 (small sample)
North West£35,200 (small sample)
East of England£32,400 (small sample)
East Midlands£31,100 (small sample)
West Midlands£30,500 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £29,700
  • 2024 £33,200
  • 2025 Provisional£34,000
↑ 14% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 675 jobs for chemical and related process operatives are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026715
Jul 2026815
Jun 2026660
May 2026721
Apr 2026623
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026608
Jan 2026670
Dec 2025390
Nov 2025742
Oct 2025740
Sept 2025738
Aug 2025806
Jul 2025792
Jun 2025741
May 2025846
Apr 2025712
Mar 2025727
Feb 2025779
Jan 2025671
Dec 2024431
Nov 2024592
Oct 2024648
Sept 2024701
Aug 2024624
Jul 2024630
Jun 2024762
May 2024751
Apr 2024790
Mar 2024679
Feb 2024688
Jan 2024825
Dec 2023657
Nov 2023677
Oct 2023627
Sept 2023627
Aug 2023746
Jul 2023754
Jun 20231,116
May 20231,261
Apr 2023818
Mar 20231,269
Feb 2023922
Jan 20231,148
Dec 2022949
Nov 20221,035
Oct 20221,218
Sept 20221,240
Aug 20221,089
Jul 20221,146
Jun 20221,113
May 20221,296
Apr 2022945
Mar 20221,201
Feb 20221,180
Jan 20221,289
Dec 20211,001
Nov 20211,169
Oct 20211,199
Sept 20211,135
Aug 20211,070
Jul 20211,204
Jun 20211,224
May 20211,234
Apr 20211,020
Mar 20211,549
Feb 2021789
Jan 2021872
Dec 2020803
Nov 2020820
Oct 2020903
Sept 2020895
Aug 2020981
Jul 2020638
Jun 2020630
May 2020574
Apr 2020602
Mar 20201,070
Feb 20201,172
Jan 20201,202
Dec 2019819
Nov 20191,149
Oct 20191,173
Sept 20191,018
Aug 20191,041
Jul 20191,200
Jun 20191,152
May 20191,178
Apr 2019786
Mar 20191,059
Feb 20191,018
Jan 20191,150
Dec 2018704
Nov 20181,052
Oct 20181,006
Sept 20181,012
Aug 20181,042
Jul 20181,119
Jun 20181,135
May 20181,060
Apr 2018930
Mar 20181,177
Feb 20181,215
Jan 20181,200
Dec 2017818
Nov 20171,036
Oct 20171,040
Sept 20171,113
Aug 20171,088
Jul 20171,061
Jun 20171,231
May 20171,168
Apr 20171,202
Mar 20171,379
Feb 20171,143
Jan 20171,184
Is there a shortage of chemical and related process operatives?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment; in 2024 it was elevated.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsAbove usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsAbove usual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertainty in change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
17%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for process operatives, which includes chemical and related process operatives. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London379
Manchester51
Birmingham48
Bristol, City of39
City of Edinburgh38
Glasgow City34
Leeds32
Liverpool31
Nottingham25
Sheffield24
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where chemical and related process operatives are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of chemical and related process operatives
n/p
19%!
29%!
16%!
27%!
3.1%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3419% (small sample)
35–4429% (small sample)
45–5416% (small sample)
55–6427% (small sample)
65+3.1% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!14%
Higher education below degree!4.9%
A levels or equivalent32%
GCSEs or equivalent30%
Other qualifications!12%
No qualifications!3.4%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent14% (small sample)
Higher education below degree4.9% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent32%
GCSEs or equivalent30%
Other qualifications12% (small sample)
No qualifications3.4% (small sample)

Main employers: manufacture of refined petroleum products (12%), manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations (11%), manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics (8.4%), manufacture of perfumes and toilet preparations (7.8%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
14%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 32%
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course, which would give you some of the skills and knowledge that might help you to get a job as a trainee.

For example:

  • chemistry
  • science
  • applied science
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply for an apprenticeship, for example:

  • Science Manufacturing Process Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Polymer Processing Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Science Manufacturing Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Process Industry Manufacturing Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

These apprenticeships can take between 2 and 3 years to complete. They combine on-the-job training with off-site study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 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

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. Some employers may ask for GCSEs in maths, English, IT and a science subject, or equivalent qualifications.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Previous experience in the manufacturing and processing industries would be an advantage, as would forklift truck training.

Further information

You can find more details about careers and training in the chemicals industry from Cogent Skills.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for chemical plant process operator. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • loads prescribed quantities of ingredients into plant equipment, starts operational cycle, monitors instruments and gauges indicating conditions affecting the operation of the plant and adjusts controls as necessary
  • prepares dye, bleaching, water repellent, fixing salt and other chemical solutions to finish and treat textiles
  • regulates input of polymer into melting unit, extrudes polymer, gathers extruded filaments and feeds strands through rolling, cutting and treatment units to produce synthetic fibre
  • operates kilns, furnaces and ovens to produce charcoal, coke and other carbon products
  • operates machines to coat film and tape with sensitising material and otherwise impregnate materials by immersion, split and mould mica and produce asbestos pipes and sheets
  • cuts and trims skins, hides and pelts, removes wool, hair, flesh and other waste material, and washes, limes, tans, dyes and otherwise treats hides for making into leather, skin and fur products
  • withdraws samples for quality control testing, removes and regulates discharge of batch material upon completion of processing

Skills

  • optimise production processes parameters
  • write batch record documentation
  • transfer chemicals
  • use a computer
  • inspect quality of products
  • monitor environmental parameters
  • prepare chemical samples
  • manage waste
  • use chemical analysis equipment
  • apply health and safety standards
  • check quality of raw materials
  • ensure compliance with safety legislation
  • keep task records
  • monitor valves

Knowledge

  • chemistry
  • mathematics
  • hazardous waste storage
  • mechanics
  • explosives
  • good manufacturing practices
  • perfume and cosmetic products
  • basic chemicals

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for process, plant, machine and construction operatives, a group of 25 jobs that includes chemical and related process operatives.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 19%about 142,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035496,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.