UK AI Job-Risk Index · SOC 2010 8116
Ranks #252 of 293 for AI exposure (1 = most exposed)
How exposed to AI are plastics process operatives?
18/100
AI exposure score (percentile across all 365 occupations DfE scored)
Very low#252
of 293 UK occupations (1 = most exposed)
£22,143
median full-time pay (ONS ASHE 2020) · 12,000 employee jobs
Plastics process operatives sits in the very low exposure band: its abilities overlap with current AI applications more than about 18% of the 365 UK occupations the Department for Education scored. Lower exposure usually means more of the work depends on physical, practical or in-person abilities that current AI applications do not cover well. It does not mean the job will be untouched by technology.
Underlying scores: AIOE (all AI) -1.16, LLM exposure -1.29 (standardised; 0 is the average occupation). Skill level: Level 2. Pay and job counts are 2020 figures, so use them to compare occupations rather than as current salaries.
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Job titles in this occupation
Titles the ONS SOC 2010 coding index places in unit group 8116 (30 of 39 shown). If your job title is here, this page uses the right figures for you.
comb maker · pre-former · comb quiller · steam blower · tube moulder · tube twister · button cutter · grp laminator · plastic mixer · bakelite maker · button cleaner · button driller · foam machinist · plastics filer · plastics mixer · foam fabricator · plastic moulder · plastic trimmer · plastics cutter · plastics worker · spectacle maker · bakelite moulder · bakelite trimmer · extruding driver · plastic operator · plastics presser · plastics trimmer · bakelite polisher · injection moulder · plastic laminator
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Lower-risk related jobs
Occupations in the same SOC 2010 sub-major group with a lower AI exposure score, highest-paid first. Pay difference is against £22,143 (ONS ASHE 2020 median, full-time). Switching usually needs retraining; this is a starting point, not advice.
| Occupation | Exposure | Median pay | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail construction and maintenance operatives | 12/100 | £35,333 | +£13,190 |
| Scaffolders, stagers and riggers | 8/100 | £34,176 | +£12,033 |
| Road construction operatives | 5/100 | £30,535 | +£8,392 |
| Process operatives n.e.c. | 7/100 | £27,800 | +£5,657 |
| Metal making and treating process operatives | 15/100 | £26,606 | +£4,463 |
Occupations with similar exposure
- Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers (18/100)
- Electroplaters (17/100)
- Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians (18/100)
- Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers (18/100)
← #251 Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers · #253 Electroplaters →
FAQ: Plastics process operatives and AI
Will AI replace plastics process operatives?
The index does not predict job losses. Plastics process operatives has an AI exposure score of 18/100 (very low band), ranking #252 of 293 UK occupations, where 1 is the most exposed. Lower exposure means more of the work relies on abilities current AI applications cover less well.
How does this compare with similar jobs?
Plastics process operatives is one of 24 occupations in its SOC 2010 sub-major group in the index; 11 of the others are more exposed to AI.
How much do plastics process operatives earn?
Median gross annual pay for full-time employees was £22,143 in ONS ASHE 2020 (Table 14), across about 12,000 employee jobs. These are 2020 figures, so use them to compare jobs rather than as current salaries.
Which related jobs are less exposed to AI?
In the same sub-major group, lower-exposure occupations include Rail construction and maintenance operatives (12/100, £35,333), Scaffolders, stagers and riggers (8/100, £34,176), Road construction operatives (5/100, £30,535).
Where does this data come from?
AI exposure uses Department for Education (2023) AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) scores; pay and job counts come from ONS ASHE 2020. Job titles come from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index.
Source: Department for Education (2023), The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (AIOE scores); ONS ASHE 2020 Table 14; job titles from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index (v7). Exposure is not a prediction of job loss. Methodology · Embed this data
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