Foundry Patternmaker

Foundries produce metal castings for a wide range of products and industries. These include cars, fridges and mobile phones, as well as items for the ICT, medical and aerospace industries. During the process, metal is heated until it becomes liquid and is then poured into moulds to make castings. Foundry patternmakers create full-scale, three-dimensional models as patterns for making the moulds. The patterns are produced from drawings made by designers, and are made out of a variety of materials, including wood, metal, plastic and wax. Patternmakers use computer-controlled equipment, as well as traditional hand tools such as saws, planes and grinders.

A foundry patternmaker usually works 37 to 39 hours a week. They may work on a shift system, including evenings and weekends. Overtime may also be available. Patternmaking is generally carried out on a computer in an office and in highly automated machine shops, although some work may be carried out in a workshop.

Salaries range from around £16,000 a year to £30,000.

Foundry patternmakers need to:

• be good with their hands and machinery
• be accurate and precise
• have good hand-to-eye co-ordination
• be able to interpret engineering drawings and visualise them in three dimensions
• have strong numerical skills
• have good communication skills
• be aware of health and safety issues.

Foundries tend to be small scale and almost half of them employ fewer than 50 people. The main regions for foundry employment are the West Midlands, followed by Yorkshire, Humberside and the East Midlands.

There are no formal entry requirements. Entrants can join a company as an unskilled foundry operative and progress through a company training scheme to become a skilled patternmaker. Young people may also be able to start on an Apprenticeship. All Apprenticeships involve work-based training combined with block or day release at college. Apprentices usually work towards NVQs and, in some cases BTEC National and Higher National Awards and City & Guilds (C&G) qualifications.

The Diploma in engineering may be relevant for this area of work.

Another option is to attend a college to study for BTEC and C&G qualifications or a BTEC First Diploma in manufacturing engineering. New entrants usually receive induction training, covering basic work practices and health and safety issues.

With experience and further training, promotion may be possible to supervisory and managerial roles.

Further details