jobfacts

Window fabricator

Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters — SOC 2020 5317

Glaziers, window fabricators and fitters make and install pre-glazed wooden, metal or PVC framework, and cut, fit and set glass in windows, doors, shop fronts, and other structural frames.

Also calledFenestration fabricatorWindow manufacturerWindow makerGlazierWindow fitterGlass repairerand 44 more titles
Typical full-time pay£29,4002025 Provisional
People in the job33,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month335↓ 3.5%on last year · 306th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time window fabricators earn, 2025
£29,400 typical£24,900lowest 20%n/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less than£24,900
25%£25,700
Median£29,400
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Many (34%) of window fabricators work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed window fabricators earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £29,400
London!£33,500
South East!£30,300
West Midlands!£29,100
East Midlands!£29,100
South West!£29,100
Wales!£28,700
Yorkshire and The Humber!£26,100
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £29,400
London£33,500 (small sample)
South East£30,300 (small sample)
West Midlands£29,100 (small sample)
East Midlands£29,100 (small sample)
South West£29,100 (small sample)
Wales£28,700 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£26,100 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £26,700
  • 2024 £28,700
  • 2025 Provisional£29,400
↑ 10% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 335 jobs for window fabricators 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 (3 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026346
Jul 2026358
Jun 2026367
May 2026356
Apr 2026319
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026327
Jan 2026349
Dec 2025150
Nov 2025335
Oct 2025384
Sept 2025398
Aug 2025370
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 2025476
Apr 2025381
Mar 2025386
Feb 2025394
Jan 2025275
Dec 2024162
Nov 2024282
Oct 2024342
Sept 2024389
Aug 2024327
Jul 2024392
Jun 2024405
May 2024390
Apr 2024307
Mar 2024219
Feb 2024191
Jan 2024247
Dec 2023181
Nov 2023187
Oct 2023245
Sept 2023221
Aug 2023268
Jul 2023250
Jun 2023380
May 2023297
Apr 2023346
Mar 2023350
Feb 2023345
Jan 2023402
Dec 2022261
Nov 2022367
Oct 2022434
Sept 2022492
Aug 2022411
Jul 2022411
Jun 2022429
May 2022579
Apr 2022425
Mar 2022521
Feb 2022481
Jan 2022498
Dec 2021362
Nov 2021396
Oct 2021456
Sept 2021528
Aug 2021565
Jul 2021730
Jun 2021733
May 2021693
Apr 2021636
Mar 2021765
Feb 2021534
Jan 2021457
Dec 2020382
Nov 2020507
Oct 2020697
Sept 2020692
Aug 2020593
Jul 2020479
Jun 2020450
May 2020219
Apr 2020215
Mar 2020347
Feb 2020494
Jan 2020395
Dec 2019322
Nov 2019559
Oct 2019486
Sept 2019500
Aug 2019477
Jul 2019574
Jun 2019524
May 2019525
Apr 2019304
Mar 2019389
Feb 2019346
Jan 2019473
Dec 2018319
Nov 2018512
Oct 2018618
Sept 2018655
Aug 2018557
Jul 2018473
Jun 2018623
May 2018441
Apr 2018385
Mar 2018377
Feb 2018367
Jan 2018438
Dec 2017272
Nov 2017467
Oct 2017493
Sept 2017435
Aug 2017596
Jul 2017573
Jun 2017547
May 2017601
Apr 2017597
Mar 2017572
Feb 2017435
Jan 2017431
Is there a shortage of window fabricators?
Not high

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

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, hours and earnings due to proportion of self employed workers.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
46%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for construction and building trades, which includes window fabricators. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London91
Glasgow City20
Manchester18
Birmingham15
Bradford15
Leeds14
Cornwall14
Walsall13
Braintree12
Bristol, City of12
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where window fabricators 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 window fabricators
n/p
32%!
12%!
20%!
23%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3432% (small sample)
35–4412% (small sample)
45–5420% (small sample)
55–6423% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent–
Not published
Higher education below degree!5.6%
A levels or equivalent!28%
GCSEs or equivalent!33%
Other qualifications!15%
No qualifications!11%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalentNot published
Higher education below degree5.6% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent28% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent33% (small sample)
Other qualifications15% (small sample)
No qualifications11% (small sample)

Main employers: joinery installation (28%), manufacture of builders’ ware of plastic (25%), retail sale of hardware, paints and glass in specialised stores (14%), painting and glazing (12%).

How to get in

Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 33%
Apprenticeships
2
from level 2
Apprenticeships take
18 months
typically
Self-employed
34%
of people in the job

Routes in

Window fabricator

You can get into this job through:

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with a manufacturing company, such as:

  • Engineering and Manufacturing Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Fenestration Fabricator Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
More about this route
Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • are in care or have been in care
  • are in prison or have been in prison

Work your way up

You could begin work as a general production worker or labourer with a window manufacturer and work your way up. There are courses you can do while working to help you get into more skilled fabrication jobs.

You could also start as a window fitter and move into fabrication work.

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. Employers set their own entry requirements, though you'll need maths skills for taking measurements along with good practical skills.

Experience of general manufacturing and trades like window fitting or joinery may also be useful.

You can get more details about careers in window fabrication from Building Our Skills.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for window fabricator. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Glazier

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course, which would teach you some of the skills you need to get a job as a trainee with a glazing or window fitting company.

Courses include:

  • construction skills
  • carpentry and joinery
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply for a place on a Fenestration Installation Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This can take up to 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and off-site study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start work as an assistant to a glazier or window fitter and train on the job, working alongside an experienced tradesperson.

Employers will look for someone with good practical skills and a willingness to learn.

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. There are no set entry requirements, though you'll need maths skills to make measurements and work out dimensions. Employers may ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C).

Experience in carpentry, joinery or window manufacturing might also be helpful.

Registration and professional bodies

Registration
  • you'll need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent to train and work on a construction site
Career tips

You may need to travel to other parts of the country for some jobs, especially on commercial and industrial contracts.

Further information

You can find out more about a career as a glazier or window fitter from Go Construct.

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

Apprenticeships

2 for this job

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

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • examines drawings or specifications to determine job requirements
  • scores plain, coloured, safety and ornamental glass with hand cutter and breaks off glass by hand or with pliers
  • smooths edges of glass and positions and secures in frame or grooved lead strips
  • applies mastic, putty or adhesive between glass and frame and trims off excess with knife
  • fixes mirror panels to interior and exterior walls and repairs and replaces broken glass
  • sets up and operates machinery to manufacture windows and window frames

Skills

  • cut glass
  • smooth glass edges
  • keep records of work progress
  • adjust glass sheets
  • apply health and safety standards
  • apply primer
  • clean vehicle exterior
  • examine damaged windshields
  • follow health and safety procedures in construction
  • handle broken glass sheets
  • inspect construction supplies
  • inspect glass sheet
  • install construction profiles
  • install frameless glass

Knowledge

  • abrasive blasting processes

Suits people who like

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

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled construction and building trades, a group of 12 jobs that includes window fabricators.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 1.5%about 14,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035374,000including 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.