Job type

Scrap metal worker

£14.5k - £22k

Typical salary

37 – 40

Hours per week

Scrap metal workers weigh, sort and grade scrap metal ready for recycling, disposal or resale.

More info

  • Weigh, sort and grade scrap metal ready for recycling, disposal or resale
  • You'll need practical skills to operate machinery, number skills teamworking skills
  • You could become a yard manager or set up your own business

DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES

  • Weighing scrap metal on a weigh bridge or platform
  • Sorting and grading scrap
  • Recording details and filling in paperwork
  • Working out payments for customers
  • Cutting up large items by hand
  • Using welding equipment operating machinery to crush, shred or burn scrap
  • Moving scrap bales to storage areas with a crane or forklift truck
  • Loading lorries to take away scrap
  • Collecting scrap items from customers
  • Making deliveries

DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT

Casual work is often available. The work can be physically demanding and you'll be outside in all weathers.

You'll need

For this role you'll need practical skills to operate machinery, number skills, and teamworking skills.

There are no set entry requirements, but you'll need basic maths for working out buying and selling prices.

For some jobs you'll need to have a forklift licence. You may also need a welding qualification for cutting down longer lengths of metal, like railway lines and girders.

CAREER PROSPECTS

With experience you could become a yard manager or set up your own scrap metal or recycling business.