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Paper manufacturing operative
Hours
40 per week
Starting salary
£12,000 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
As a paper manufacturing operative, you would work in a paper mill or recovery plant, making paper, corrugated board and tissue from wood pulp and recycled materials.
The paper production process is split between the ‘wet end’ – the pulping and recycling stage, and the ‘dry end’ – the production phase, and you would normally work in one or the other. Your exact duties would depend on which area you work in, but could include:
- operating chemical and mechanical pulping machinery that converts raw materials (wood and bark) into pulp
- removing contaminants, metals and plastics in recycled materials
- overseeing the refining process, making sure the pulp mixture has the right consistency as it is fed into the paper-making machines
- operating the paper drying and sizing equipment
- monitoring the machines that wind paper onto reels, checking for damaged or sub-standard paper and repairing breaks and tears
- quality testing the paper products to make sure they meet the customer's requirements
- storing and loading paper products ready for dispatch.
Much of your work would involve using computerised machinery. You would also work closely with maintenance technicians, reporting any problems to make sure the production process runs smoothly.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would normally work around 40 hours a week, usually on a shift system that includes nights and weekends.
Conditions inside the processing plant could be noisy, hot and humid. Outdoor tasks could include loading and unloading delivery wagons.
Your employer would provide you with protective clothing, such as boots, ear defenders, gloves and goggles.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Starting salaries can be around £12,000 a year.
- Experienced operatives can earn between £14,000 and £21,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You may be able to find work as a trainee operative. Although you do not need specific qualifications, you may have an advantage if you have some GCSEs, for example maths and English, or equivalent qualifications.
You may be able to get into this job through an Apprenticeship scheme. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit the Apprenticeships website.
For more information about careers in the paper industry, see the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) website or the Proskills UK website.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once you start working, you would receive on-the-job training under the supervision of more experienced staff.
You could work towards the following qualifications:
- NVQ in Performing Manufacturing Operations levels 1 and 2
- NVQ in Fibreboard Operations levels 2 and 3
- Certificate in Paper Technology levels 2 and 3.
Your company would also offer you extra training in health and safety, the operation of specific machinery, and possibly forklift truck driving.
The CPI offers a range of industry qualifications, short courses and workshops in paper technology. See the CPI website for more details.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
- good practical skills
- good communication skills
- the ability to follow instructions
- good teamworking skills and the ability to work unsupervised
- good concentration levels
- an awareness of health and safety.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Proskills UK 
www.proskills.co.uk
Paper Industry Technical Association
5 Frecheville Court
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 0UF
Tel: 0161 764 5858
http://pita.co.uk/
Confederation of Paper Industries
1 Rivenhall Road
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN5 7BD
www.paper.org.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
Most paper mills and paper recovery plants are based in the north-west, Yorkshire, south-west, south-east and Scotland. Jobs are advertised in the press, Jobcentre Plus, on company websites and Directgov (Jobseekers page).
With experience and further training, you could move into quality control, paper technology, supervisory management or sales.
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.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The paper industry is part of the process manufacturing sector, represented by Proskills Sector Skills Council. This sector also includes the following industries: building products; coatings; extractive and mineral process; furniture, furnishing and interiors; glass and related industries; ceramics; plus print and printed packaging. In addition, there are several industries that are aligned with Proskills industries, including: glazing and window manufacture; soft furnishings; design; paper merchants; and mining services. The sector as a whole currently employs an estimated 810,000 people in around 76,900 workplaces. Since 1998, there has been a steady decline in the numbers employed in the sector as a whole and the number of workplaces, but productivity in the sector has continued to increase over the same period. Overall, the sector will need to recruit almost 93,000 people up to 2017 to replace those retiring or leaving the sector.
The UK paper industry covers the manufacture of: pulp; paper and paperboard; corrugated paper and paperboard and of containers of paper and paperboard; household and sanitary goods and of toilet requisites; paper stationery; and other articles of paper and paperboard. In addition, the industry includes paper merchants. The paper industry uses a mixture of traditional and modern processes. Most employees in paper‐making are involved in the manufacturing processes and maintenance of the highly technical papermaking machinery.
Key facts:
- There are an estimated 99,000 people employed in the industry, across 3,600 workplaces.
- Workers in the industry tend to be full‐time and directly employed, rather than on a contract basis.
- Work is often shift‐based, especially in lower levels jobs.
- 19% of the workforce has a Level 1 or entry level qualification, 23% a Level 2, 25% a Level 3, 8% a Level 4 and 11% a Level 5 qualification.
- Annual turnover for the industry is currently around £3.2 billion.
- There are 1,008 sole traders in the industry.
Jobs in the industry range from: CAD operators, CNC engineers, research scientists‐nanotechnologies, warehouse assistant, production manager, paper technologist, production manufacturing worker, paper manufacturing operative.
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are an estimated 13,400 employees in the regional workforce, in around 390 workplaces.
East of England – There are an estimated 6,700 employees in the regional workforce, in around 430 workplaces.
London – There are an estimated 4,200 employees in the regional workforce, in around 360 workplaces.
North East – There are an estimated 7,600 employees in the regional workforce, in around 90 workplaces.
North West – There are an estimated 23,500 employees in the regional workforce, in around 530 workplaces.
South East – There are an estimated 10,900 employees in the regional workforce, in around 450 workplaces. There is a very active cluster of paper mills in the South East.
South West – There are an estimated 3,400 employees in the regional workforce, in around 300 workplaces.
West Midlands – There are an estimated 800 employees in the regional workforce, in around 340 workplaces.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 13,400 employees in the regional workforce, in around 310 workplaces.
Scotland – There are an estimated 7,000 employees in the regional workforce, in around 200 workplaces.
Northern Ireland – There are less than 2,000 employees in the regional workforce, in less than 50 workplaces.
Wales – There are an estimated 6,000 employees in the regional workforce, in around 200 workplaces.
Career paths
Further sources
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