Chemical plant process operator Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Chemical plant process operator

Hours

40 per week
Starting salary

£15,000 + per year

As a chemical plant operator you would control and monitor the machinery used to make chemical products. Examples of these include paints, plastics, cosmetics and toiletries.

If you have an interest in science and technology, being a chemical plant operator could be an ideal job for you.

To do this job you should have good maths skills. You should have quick reactions to deal with problems. You should also have good communication skills.

You do not need qualifications to become a chemical plant operator. You may be asked to take maths tests and pass a medical. Some employers may ask for GCSEs or equivalent qualifications.

The work

Your job would involve:

setting up and preparing machinery for the production run
measuring, weighing, mixing and loading raw materials into the machines
checking meter and instrument readings, and making adjustments where necessary
taking product samples and recording the test data for quality purposes
packing and loading finished items into barrels, tanks or other containers ready for shipment
closing down and cleaning the plant and machinery, and carrying out minor maintenance work
reporting problems with the production process or equipment to shift managers and maintenance engineers.

You would usually work under the supervision of a qualified engineer.

Hours

You would normally work about 40 hours a week on a shift system, which could include nights and weekends.

You would be based in a chemical processing plant, and you would wear protective overalls, safety glasses and boots for most tasks.

Income

Starting salaries are between £15,000 and £19,000 a year. With experience and extra duties, this can rise to between £20,000 and £30,000. Some companies also offer overtime and productivity bonus payments.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You do not need specific qualifications to become a chemical plant process operator. You may be asked to take maths and aptitude tests and pass a medical at the interview stage. Some employers may ask for GCSEs in maths, English and science subjects, or equivalent qualifications.

Although not essential, you could take a college course, which would give you some of the skills needed. Relevant courses include:

BTEC Introductory Certificate in Applied Science
City and Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Engineering.

Previous experience in the manufacturing and processing industries would be an advantage.

You could get into this career by completing an Apprenticeship. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need. To find out more, visit the Apprenticeships website.

Apprenticeships

For more information about working in the chemicals industry visit the Cogent website and the Chemical Industries Association website.

Training and development

Once working, you would receive on-the-job training, which could lead to a work-based NVQ qualification, such as:

Bulk Liquid Warehousing Level 2
Processing Operations: Hydrocarbons levels 1 to 3
Polymer Processing and Related Operations levels 1 to 3
Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petro-Chemical Operations levels 1 to 3 (contains options in processing and control room operations).

The NVQs cover health and safety, emergency procedures, chemical processes, sampling, testing, first aid and basic machine maintenance.

Depending on your level of responsibility, you could also take the Level 4 award in Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petro-Chemical Operations, aimed at technical and managerial staff.

Skills and knowledge

To be a chemical plant process operator, you should have:

an interest in science and technology
good maths skills for measuring materials accurately
the ability to work carefully and follow instructions
the ability to concentrate during periods of repetitive work
quick reactions to deal with immediate problems
good communication skills
good teamworking skills
an understanding of health and safety requirements
a reasonable level of fitness.

More information

Cogent (Opens new window)
Unit 5, Mandarin Court
Centre Park
Warrington
Cheshire
WA1 1GG
Tel: 01925 515200
www.cogent-ssc.com

Chemical Industries Association (Opens new window)
Kings Buildings
Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JJ
Tel: 0207 834 3399
www.cia.org.uk

Opportunities

The main concentration of job opportunities is in the north-west, north-east, eastern England and the south-east of the country. These are often near to ports, close to natural resources or based in major industrial centres close to potential customers.

Jobs may be advertised in the local press, in Jobcentre Plus offices, on company websites and through the Directgov website (Jobseekers page).

Directgov - (Jobseekers page)

With experience and further training, you could move into plant control, quality control, supervisory management or staff training.

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The chemicals industry is part of the broader science-based sector represented by Cogent Sector Skills Council, which also includes pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. Most goods used by people in their homes, at work and in their everyday activities are products derived from the chemical, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. The combined industries employ nearly half a million people in the UK and are of huge economic and strategic importance to the UK. It includes:

Basic chemicals (including industrial gases, dyes and pigments, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds and plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms)
Pesticides and other products
Soaps and detergents etc. (including cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations)
Other products (including explosives, glues and gelatines and essential oils)

Key facts:

The chemicals industry is one of the UK’s largest manufacturing industries and manufacturing’s number one exporter.
It has grown five times faster than the average for all industries over last 10 years.
The industry spends over £2 billion a year on new capital investment.
There is a relatively high proportion of the workforce employed in medium-sized enterprises.
Total employment in the chemicals industry has decreased by 53,000 since 1998 and employment across the whole sector is projected to continue to fall to 2017.
Fewer, but more highly skilled and technology literate, employees will be expected to operate more flexibly and have crosscutting and change-management skills.

Jobs in the industry range from: Lab technician, Chemical Engineer, Plant Manager, Process Technician, Lab manager, Process Technician (mechanical, instruments, electrical), Graduate Engineer, and Senior Engineer.

National and regional data

Across Great Britain, there are an estimated 108,300 people working in chemicals manufacturing and processing. The largest number of employees is located in:

North West
South East
Yorkshire and the Humber
East Midlands

The industry is a strategic priority for many regions. There are significant clusters of chemical businesses in the East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, Central Scotland and in Wales around Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Wrexham. In the North East, there is a concentration of specialty chemicals companies.