Manufacturing Technician: career path and pay in the UK
Where a Manufacturing Technician goes next, what each step typically pays in the United Kingdom, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Manufacturing Technician to Maintenance Manager / Manufacturing Manager.
Also for the United States: Manufacturing Technician in the US
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 2 years
Manufacturing Technician
£25K to £35K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification (optional) - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification (required) - Global, Health & Safety Certification (required) - Global.
Step 2 · 2 to 5 years
Senior Manufacturing Technician
£25K to £40K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 5 to 10 years
Manufacturing Technician Supervisor / Maintenance Supervisor
£35K to £50K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications - Global.
Step 4 · 10+ years
Maintenance Manager / Manufacturing Manager
£35K to £50K
Typical UK pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Manufacturing Technician Certification - Global, Manufacturing Safety Certification - Global, Health & Safety Certification - Global, Equipment-specific certifications - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
24% → 24%
Stays level across the path. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
£25K to £35K → £35K to £50K
UK estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK.
What the work involves
Apply engineering theory and principles to problems of industrial layout or manufacturing production, usually under the direction of engineering staff. May perform time and motion studies on worker operations in a variety of industries for purposes such as establishing standard production rates or improving efficiency.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
Knowledge areas
- Engineering and Technology
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Education people bring
Job Zone 3, job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Other paths from here
- Maintenance Manager
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Production Manager
- Operations Manager
More Manufacturing/Warehouse paths in the UK
Related occupations in O*NET: Industrial Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Calibration Technologists and Technicians, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale UK, UK national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page 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. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor UK, Indeed UK and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to £5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.