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Glass and Ceramics Makers, Decorators and Finishers

Glass and ceramics workers, form, shape, decorate, smooth and polish glassware, earthenware, refractory goods, clay bricks and other ceramic goods.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£9,989
£22,876
£33,657

New workers start around £9,989. Normal pay is £22,876 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £33,657.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 8,778 vacancies for this type of job

7.27%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Applies decorative designs and finishes to glassware, optical glass and ceramic goods by grinding, smoothing, polishing, cutting, etching, dipping, painting or transferring patterns or labels.

  • Cuts and joins unfired stoneware pipes to form junctions and gullies, moulds sealing bands on clay pipes, prepares and joins porcelain or earthenware components and assists crucible makers and stone workers with their tasks.

  • Throws, casts and presses clay by hand or machine to form pottery, stoneware or refractory goods such as bricks, crucibles, ornaments, sanitary furnishings, saggars, cups, saucers, plates and roofing tiles.

  • Makes models and moulds from moulding clay and plaster for use in the making and casting of pottery and other ceramic goods.

  • Makes artificial eyes, laminated glass sheets or blocks, glass fibre tissue, wool, filament and matting, marks optical lenses and assembles rimless spectacles.

  • Uses hand tools and operates machinery to heat, bend, shape, press, drill and cut glass.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Tube Bending

  • Engineering Drawings

  • Metal Forming

  • Tube Bending Machines

  • Deburring

  • Lathes

  • Lean Manufacturing

  • Polishing

  • Auditing

  • Drawing Interpretation

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Operations

  • Communication

  • English Language

  • Mathematics

  • Time Management

  • Computer Literacy

  • Problem Solving

  • Writing

  • Detail Oriented

  • Interpersonal Communications

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

See all

Craft & Material Practices

Arts University Plymouth

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Plymouth · 09/2024

Tariff points: 104/120

Fine Art Practice

Nottingham College

FdA · 2 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 48/48

Fine Art

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College

HND · 2 Years · Full-time · Hinckley · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 64/64

Ceramic Design

University of the Arts London

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: N/A

Ceramics

Cardiff Metropolitan University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Cardiff · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 96/120

Ceramics

Coleg Sir Gar

Cert · 1 Year · Full-time · Carmarthen · 09/2024

Tariff points: 96/96

BTEC HND Ceramics

Morley College London

HND · 2 Years · Full-time · London · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 48/48

Art and Design

University Centre Weston

BA/BSc (H) · 3 Years · Full-time · Weston super Mare · 09/2024

Tariff points: 80/80

3D Creative Practice

York College University Centre

BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · York · 09/2024

Tariff points: 32/32

Fine and Applied Art

University Centre Rotherham

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Rotherham · 16/09/2024

Tariff points: 64/64

Art and Contemporary Craft

West Dean College

BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · Chichester · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 120/120

Fine Art

University of Plymouth

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Plymouth · 16/09/2024

Tariff points: 96/144

Fine Art

Nottingham Trent University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 13/09/2024

Tariff points: 104/112

Fine Art (with Foundation Year)

Liverpool Hope University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Liverpool · 09/2024

Tariff points: 72/72

Fine Art

University of Reading

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Reading · 10/2024

Tariff points: N/A

Fine Art (HNC/HND)

University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group (inc Wakefield College & Selby College)

HND · 2 Years · Full-time · Wakefield, · 09/2024

Tariff points: 64/64

Fine Art

The Northern School of Art

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Hartlepool · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 96/112

Fine Art Painting

University of Brighton

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Brighton · 23/09/2024

Tariff points: 104/120

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