Vocational.uk The route, drawn out

Engineering & Manufacturing

Machinist / CNC Technician

Produce precision components on lathes, mills and CNC machines to tolerances measured in hundredths of a millimetre.

Strong demand Level 3 apprenticeship
Typical pay once qualified
£30,000 – £46,000
Training length
3.5 years
Apprenticeship standard
Machining technician
Where to train
274 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG CA14 · 5 stops · 3.5 years to qualify
  1. Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
  2. Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
  3. 3.5 years Fully qualified around £30k
  4. +3–5 years Experienced up to £46k
  5. Then CNC programming and setting (level 3 and beyond) next step

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Machining is where engineering drawings become metal. You will set and operate manual and CNC machines, choose tooling and speeds, prove out programs and inspect what you have made.

Aerospace, defence, motorsport and medical manufacturing all depend on skilled machinists and pay accordingly. The trade rewards patience and precision, and CNC programming skills push earnings up quickly.

A typical day

  • Interpret engineering drawings, tolerances and surface finishes
  • Set up workholding, tooling and offsets on manual and CNC machines
  • Prove out and edit CNC programs safely
  • Machine components to tolerance and inspect with micrometers and gauges
  • Maintain machines and report faults

How you get in

  • Usually GCSE grade 4 (C) or above in maths and a science, or equivalent
  • Strong numeracy — you will use trigonometry regularly
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • Aptitude test common for competitive schemes

Where it leads

  • CNC programming and setting (level 3 and beyond)
  • CMM inspection and quality engineering
  • Manufacturing engineer or production planner
  • Toolroom, prototyping or motorsport specialisms

Where to train for this

274 colleges and training providers on our list cover Machinist / CNC Technician training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 16
East of England 18
London 17
North East 16
North West 33
South East 28
South West 21
UK-wide 29
West Midlands 26
Yorkshire and the Humber 22
East Scotland 6
North Scotland 7
West Scotland 9
North Wales 2
South Wales 10
West Wales 2
Northern Ireland 9
Channel Islands 2
Isle of Man 1

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