foundry operative
Foundry operative manufacture castings, including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel, by operating hand-controlled equipment in a foundry. They conduct the flow of molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals into moulds, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults. In case of a fault, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.
foundry operative foundry operative manufacture castings, including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel, by operating hand-controlled equipment in a foundry. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include construct moulds, select mould types, insert mould structures, assemble metal parts, troubleshoot.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £37,058 a year for Metal plate workers, smiths, moulders and related occupations (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 5212). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Craft and related trades workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only foundry operative, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 7. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Production and Processing
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
What you'd actually do
- Pour and regulate the flow of molten metal into molds and forms to produce ingots or other castings, using ladles or hand-controlled mechanisms.
- Read temperature gauges and observe color changes, adjusting furnace flames, torches, or electrical heating units as necessary to melt metal to specifications.
- Remove solidified steel or slag from pouring nozzles, using long bars or oxygen burners.
- Examine molds to ensure they are clean, smooth, and properly coated.
- Collect samples, or signal workers to sample metal for analysis.
- Load specified amounts of metal and flux into furnaces or clay crucibles.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does foundry operative do?
Foundry operative manufacture castings, including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel, by operating hand-controlled equipment in a foundry. They conduct the flow of molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals into moulds, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults.
What skills does foundry operative need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include construct moulds, select mould types, insert mould structures, assemble metal parts, troubleshoot, maintain moulds. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace foundry operative?
Our AI-durability model gives foundry operative a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.