Foundry supervisors oversee and coordinate the activities of workers engaged in producing cores and moulds. Their work may also involve observing equipment for malfunction and training new recruits in foundry processes.
Experienced foundry moulders and coremakers with excellent organisational and interpersonal skills tend to be handpicked by their employers to progress into supervisory roles. Prospective foundry workers may join a foundry as unskilled operatives and work through a training scheme to become fully qualified. Candidates for training schemes often require at least three GCSEs and a good standard of physical fitness. Upon completing formal training, foundry workers may be granted NVQs, BTEC National Awards, or certificates of competency from the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers.
Foundries, which are found in the majority of the UK's industrial areas, are the main employers of foundry supervisors. Most foundry supervisors work during daylight hours, Monday to Friday, although some foundries operate on a shift system that covers evenings and weekends. Jobs tend to be advertised locally, in areas where foundries operate. However, employment openings may be found through some recruitment agencies.
The starting rate for a foundry supervisor may be around £20,000 a year. Shift work and overtime can significantly increase basic pay.