Careers in the Foundry Industry: Opportunities, Responsibilities and the Average Working Day

The foundry and metal casting industries are vast, and therefore the opportunities and types of careers in the foundry industry are also very varied. From working on-site as a foundry operative to engineering the equipment used in the industry to working in the administrational areas of foundries, there is a job for everyone in the industry.

 

Here at Omega Sinto, we provide innovative solutions to the foundry industry, and have done since 1984. We focus on sand mixing, reclamation, both mechanical and thermal, mould handling and a range of other foundry solutions.

 

We are home to a range of different careers in the foundry industry. This article will take a deeper look into two key jobs in the foundry industry: foundry operatives and foundry equipment engineers.  

 

 

There is a vast array of different job types in the foundry industry, ranging from foundry operatives, to engineers, technicians, designers, patternmakers and more.

 

Some roles in the industry require no prior education or skills. For example, foundry operative work is an entry level role and therefore, requires no prior education. Engineering roles, however, can often require a degree and previous experience in the industry, because of the high level of skill and knowledge that is required for the role. Having said this, apprenticeships are becoming more popular in the industry, as they provide a more accessible way for people to access engineering roles.

 

At Omega Sinto, our production manager has worked to develop an apprenticeship that helps to develop the necessary skills required for a job in our company. Out of the eighteen apprentices that have been employed at Omega Sinto, ten have now gained HNC/HNDs and two have gone on to complete engineering degrees, providing alternative routes to engineering careers.

 

 

Foundry operatives will complete a variety of different tasks in a day, in order to create products from metal. As mentioned, although there are no educational requirements and training is provided on-the-job, it can be beneficial to be physically fit because the job can require some lifting and carrying.

 

The tasks that a foundry operative will complete in a typical day are dependent on the area that they specialise in: for example, Sand Mixer Operators will mix the sand or operate sand mixing materials, casters pour the molten metal into the moulds, machine moulders operate the moulds and handling equipment, and shot blasters clean the castings. Therefore, the job requires a large amount of teamwork and collaboration, as foundry operatives will have to work as team to create a finished, end product.

 

 

The responsibilities in each foundry equipment engineering role can be very dependent on what type of engineering the role is specialising in. However, as a generalised guide, engineering roles often contain some forms of the following: design, manufacturing, testing, providing advice and performing safety or risk calculations. They may also require attending meetings, providing training (dependent on the seniority of the role), writing reports and giving presentations.

 

A typical day of a foundry machinery engineer can include designing or evaluating designs, communicating with other parts of the engineering team, monitoring the progress of a project, testing the products, and reporting back to managers. Similar to a foundry operative, engineering roles rely on teamwork as each individual will work on a small section of the larger product.

 

Interested in a career in foundry machinery engineering or a job in the foundry industry? Take a look at our Omega Sinto Vacancies. We offer a range of company benefits, including medicash, flexible working hours and a bonus scheme.