jobfacts

Metal machining setters and setter-operators

SOC 2020 5221

Metal machining setters and setter-operators operate machines to drill, bore, grind, cut, mill or otherwise shape metal workpieces.

Also calledCNC machinistCNC operatorTurnerLathe setterSetter-operatorLathe setter-operatorand 250 more titles
Typical full-time pay£35,7002025 Provisional
People in the job40,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month2,000↑ 8.6%on last year · 90th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time metal machining setters and setter-operators earn between £30,100 and £42,900 a year.

What full-time metal machining setters and setter-operators earn, 2025
£35,700 typical£25,700lowest 10%£30,10025%£45,100top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£30,100–£42,900)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£25,700
Lowest 20% earn less than£28,600
25%£30,100
Median£35,700
75%£42,900
Top 20% earn more than£45,100
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £35,700
Scotland!£37,600
South West!£37,500
South East!£37,400
Yorkshire and The Humber£36,500
East of England!£36,300
North West!£35,100
East Midlands!£34,800
North East!£33,800
West Midlands!£33,600
London!£33,100
Wales!£28,500
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £35,700
Scotland£37,600 (small sample)
South West£37,500 (small sample)
South East£37,400 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£36,500
East of England£36,300 (small sample)
North West£35,100 (small sample)
East Midlands£34,800 (small sample)
North East£33,800 (small sample)
West Midlands£33,600 (small sample)
London£33,100 (small sample)
Wales£28,500 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £32,700
  • 2024 £34,600
  • 2025 Provisional£35,700
↑ 9.4% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 2,000 jobs for metal machining setters and setter-operators are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (4 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20262,338
Jul 20262,196
Jun 2026Not published
May 20261,956
Apr 20262,164
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,710
Jan 20262,245
Dec 20251,034
Nov 20252,152
Oct 20252,226
Sept 20252,223
Aug 20252,294
Jul 2025Not published
Jun 2025Not published
May 20252,503
Apr 20251,790
Mar 20251,861
Feb 20251,972
Jan 20251,856
Dec 2024833
Nov 20241,506
Oct 20241,888
Sept 20241,975
Aug 20242,058
Jul 20242,320
Jun 20242,232
May 20242,377
Apr 20242,518
Mar 20242,067
Feb 20242,206
Jan 20242,855
Dec 20231,674
Nov 20232,251
Oct 20231,916
Sept 20232,215
Aug 20232,180
Jul 20232,344
Jun 20233,246
May 20232,661
Apr 20232,328
Mar 20232,868
Feb 20232,913
Jan 20233,437
Dec 20222,448
Nov 20223,033
Oct 20223,212
Sept 20223,308
Aug 20223,042
Jul 20223,116
Jun 20222,820
May 20223,163
Apr 20222,517
Mar 20222,899
Feb 20222,521
Jan 20222,740
Dec 20212,109
Nov 20212,090
Oct 20212,281
Sept 20212,025
Aug 20211,910
Jul 20212,559
Jun 20212,237
May 20212,297
Apr 20211,801
Mar 20212,388
Feb 20211,505
Jan 20211,578
Dec 20201,101
Nov 20201,236
Oct 20201,398
Sept 20201,245
Aug 20201,055
Jul 2020993
Jun 20201,061
May 20201,016
Apr 20201,610
Mar 20202,605
Feb 20203,374
Jan 20203,400
Dec 20192,107
Nov 20193,175
Oct 20193,369
Sept 20193,180
Aug 20193,474
Jul 20194,912
Jun 20194,602
May 20193,859
Apr 20192,894
Mar 20193,593
Feb 20193,309
Jan 20193,884
Dec 20182,041
Nov 20183,012
Oct 20183,448
Sept 20183,262
Aug 20183,058
Jul 20182,992
Jun 20183,466
May 20183,398
Apr 20183,169
Mar 20183,265
Feb 20182,808
Jan 20183,465
Dec 20171,954
Nov 20172,942
Oct 20172,945
Sept 20172,690
Aug 20172,695
Jul 20172,607
Jun 20173,493
May 20173,003
Apr 20172,830
Mar 20173,618
Feb 20172,581
Jan 20173,010
Is there a shortage of metal machining setters and setter-operators?
Elevated

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 advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
57%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for metal machining, fitting and instrument making trades, which includes metal machining setters and setter-operators. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London195
Birmingham123
Coventry120
Leeds106
Leicester106
Dudley102
Sandwell96
Bradford93
Sheffield91
West Northamptonshire91
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where metal machining setters and setter-operators 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 metal machining setters and setter-operators
n/p
26%!
18%!
16%!
21%!
7.1%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3426% (small sample)
35–4418% (small sample)
45–5416% (small sample)
55–6421% (small sample)
65+7.1% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!14%
Higher education below degree!3.3%
A levels or equivalent35%
GCSEs or equivalent!23%
Other qualifications!12%
No qualifications!10%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent14% (small sample)
Higher education below degree3.3% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent35%
GCSEs or equivalent23% (small sample)
Other qualifications12% (small sample)
No qualifications10% (small sample)

Main employers: manufacture of basic iron and steel and of ferro-alloys (8.2%), manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery (7%), installation of industrial machinery and equipment (6.3%), manufacture of other plastic products (5.1%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
14%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 35%
Apprenticeships
3
from level 3
Apprenticeships take
2 to 3½ years
typically
T Levels
1
college courses for 16 to 19 year olds

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a college course to learn some of the practical engineering skills you'll need in this job.

Courses include:

  • advanced manufacturing and engineering
  • performing engineering operations
  • mechanical engineering
  • T Level in Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with an employer. These include:

  • Engineering and Manufacturing Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Engineering Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Machining Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Engineering and Manufacturing Support Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

If you're working in the furniture manufacturing industry, you could do a Furniture CNC Technician Level 3 Advanced 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
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced 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

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got experience of working with CNC machine tools in engineering or manufacturing.

You can find out more about engineering careers from Tomorrow's Engineers.

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

Apprenticeships

3 for this job
Level 3About 3 years

Cold forming setter technician

Employers may ask for
Typical academic entry requirements may be GCSE grades 4+ in subjects such as maths, English, a science or design and technology. Entrants may also come from…
Details on Skills England
Level 3About 3½ years

Machining technician

You gain
EAL L3 Extended diploma in Machining (Development Knowledge) or Pearson BTEC Level 3…
Leads to
Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
Employers may ask for
Individual employers will set the recruitment and selection criteria for their Apprenticeships. In order to optimise success, candidates will typically have 4…
Details on Skills England

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

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
Engineering, manufacturing, processing and control​T Level3

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • examines drawings and specifications to determine appropriate method, sequence of operations and machine setting
  • selects and fixes work-holding devices and appropriate cutting, shaping, grinding and/or forming tools
  • sets machine controls for rotation speeds, depth of cut and stroke, and adjusts machine table, stops and guides
  • operates automatic or manual controls to feed tool to workpiece or vice versa and checks accuracy of machining
  • repositions workpiece, changes tools and resets machine as necessary during production run
  • instructs operators on the safe and correct method of operation of the machine

Skills

  • perform test run
  • monitor automated machines
  • remove processed workpiece
  • supply machine
  • provide advice to technicians
  • consult technical resources
  • ensure equipment availability
  • inspect quality of products
  • remove inadequate workpieces
  • set up the controller of a machine
  • troubleshoot
  • record production data for quality control
  • perform machine maintenance
  • keep records of work progress

Knowledge

  • quality standards
  • types of metal
  • ferrous metal processing
  • types of metal manufacturing processes
  • quality and cycle time optimisation
  • manufacturing of weapons and ammunition
  • manufacturing of metal containers
  • cutting technologies

Suits people who like

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

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, a group of 23 jobs that includes metal machining setters and setter-operators.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 6.5%about 72,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035338,000including 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.