Salaries and Costs
Pay in Telford reflects a strong round-the-clock production base. Production operatives tend to start from £12 to £14 per hour, with trained setters and CNC operators reaching £14 to £18 per hour. MIG and TIG welders often land between £15 and £20 per hour, depending on coding and materials. Maintenance engineers sit from £38,000 to £48,000, with multiskilled or shift cover rising past £50,000. Temp agencies usually quote all-in hourly rates that cover holiday pay and employer on-costs, with margins shaped by volume, shifts, and notice. For permanent hires, recruiters and employment firms tend to work on a percentage of starting salary, with shop-floor roles around 12 to 18 percent, supervisors and middle management 15 to 22 percent, and senior appointments through executive search priced higher. Local employers often ask early about recruitment fees, agency costs, pay rates, and any transfer terms, so it pays to agree these in writing before interviews begin.
Qualifications and Training
Entry roles often ask for Level 2 Health and Safety, manual handling, and basic machine safety. Assembly and plastics sites value experience with SOPs, visual checks, and basic measurement. Skilled work may call for NVQ or City and Guilds in engineering or fabrication, CNC programming exposure, and forklift or reach licences. Maintenance teams look for electrical or mechanical qualifications, 17th or 18th Edition for electricians, and sound fault-finding on PLC-driven kit. A DBS check can appear for sensitive goods or education supply chains. Good candidates keep training records ready when they register with an agency.
Key Sectors and Employers in the Region
Manufacturing in Telford clusters around automotive supply, electronics, packaging, and high-volume assembly. Large plants sit across Stafford Park, Hortonwood, and Halesfield, with further operations in Donnington and Priorslee. This mix keeps recruiters busy with operatives, welders, CNC staff, technicians, engineers, and planners. Local businesses value reliability, safe working habits, and a steady approach to quality.
Local Hiring Challenges
The labour market is tight around key estates, with shift work competing with logistics and warehousing pay. Retention improves when rotas are predictable, training is clear, and small steps on pay follow probation. Sites near good bus links or close to Telford Central draw wider catchments, while plants with limited transport see higher no-show risk on nights. Recruitment consultants report faster fill times when start dates, PPE, site checks, and onboarding steps are confirmed early, and when feedback on interviews is quick.
Seasonal Trends
Peaks often track automotive model changes, pre-Christmas consumer goods, and summer packaging runs. Agencies increase temporary, permanent, and contract work through late spring and into autumn. Engineering and planning vacancies tend to rise a few months before volume increases, so early briefs help secure scarce skills.
Common Job Roles Agencies Recruit
On the shop floor, demand focuses on production operatives, packers, machine minders, FLT drivers, and hygiene or cleaning teams. Skilled roles include welders, fabricators, CNC setters, toolmakers, and quality inspectors. Engineering teams hire maintenance engineers, multiskilled technicians, and shift engineers. Office roles include production planning, materials control, and health and safety. Manufacturing recruitment agencies handle supervisors, team leaders, and operations managers through targeted search when required.
Regional or Geographic Variations
Hiring strength clusters around Stafford Park, Hortonwood, and Halesfield, with quick links to the M54 at Junctions 4 and 5, and the A442. Wellington, Madeley, and Oakengates add day-shift labour that suits bus timetables, while sites near Telford Central benefit from rail access. Employers close to parking or reliable transport see easier short-notice cover.
Entry Requirements and Career Paths
Many operatives start with strong references and basic safety training, then move into setting or quality sampling. From there, training in measurement, reading drawings, and problem solving opens paths toward inspection or planning. Skilled workers progress into team leader, shift supervisor, or technician routes. Engineers step from maintenance into reliability, projects, or controls. Agencies and staffing agencies help candidates keep records tidy, build a shift record, and move from temp to fixed-term or permanent once the fit is proven.
Quick FAQs
Do Telford recruiters cover temporary, permanent, and contract work?
Yes, agencies work across all three, with clear fee models for each.
What should local employers include in a brief?
Confirm shifts, pay rates, site checks, start dates, and any conversion terms with recruitment agencies.
How can candidates speed up onboarding?
Bring photo ID, right to work, bank details, proof of address, and any licences when you register with an agency.
Are there night and weekend shifts?
Yes, many plants run rotating patterns, with premiums for nights and skilled lines.
How does the local job market look?
Demand is steady across the main estates, with a focus on safe working, attendance, and retention.
How Our Page Helps
Agency Central brings manufacturing recruitment agencies in Telford into one place, so local employers can hire staff fast and jobseekers can find employees, compare recruiters, and pick shifts that fit. With recruiters, staffing agencies, and recruitment consultants side by side, you can assess coverage for temporary, permanent, and contract work, weigh up salaries, pay rates, recruitment fees, and agency costs, and match your workforce plans to the right partner. Clear coverage of the local labour market, commuter links, and business parks helps you choose the support that fits your site and retention goals.