ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC TRADES N.E.C.▲ 65% /10yrBUSINESS, RESEARCH AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS N.E.C.▲ 60% /10yrFINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING TECHNICIANS▲ 55% /10yrASSEMBLERS (VEHICLES AND METAL GOODS)▼ 1% /10yrHIGHER EDUCATION TEACHING PROFESSIONALS▲ 5% /10yrSOFTWARE ENGINEER£55,000▲ 38% /5yrCYBER SECURITY ANALYST£62,000▲ 35% /5yr
SOC 8133Process, plant and machine operatives
Energy plant operatives Salary
Salary data from ONS ASHE. Some figures may be unavailable due to small sample sizes.
WINDOW: PROFILE
About this role
Rail construction and maintenance operatives build, maintain and repair railway track, signalling infrastructure and overhead line equipment. They work on the national rail network, London Underground and light rail systems.
Key responsibilities
- Installing and maintaining railway track and pointwork
- Repairing rail defects and replacing sleepers and ballast
- Working on signalling and telecommunications infrastructure
- Operating track maintenance machinery
- Working safely within Network Rail procedures and PTS requirements
Qualifications and entry routes
PTS (Personal Track Safety) certification is mandatory for on-track working. Network Rail-specific training and competences. NVQ in Railway Engineering. CSCS card for construction-adjacent work. Sentinel card system for track access.
Career outlook
Major investment in rail infrastructure including HS2 creates strong demand. Night and weekend working is standard. Signalling and overhead line specialisms offer higher earnings.
Key skills
Common industries
- Network Rail
- Rail contractors
- London Underground
- Light rail systems
- HS2
Data coverage
SOC code8133
Data sourceONS ASHE
Years available2015–2025
WINDOW: DATA
Mean Salary
£52,510
Top 10% Earn
N/A
Jobs (000s)
N/A
Data Years
11 years
Salary Trend (2015-2025)
Nominal growth: +21.5%Real growth: -4.6%
WINDOW: INSTRUMENTS