UK AI Job-Risk Index · SOC 2010 5215
Ranks #261 of 293 for AI exposure (1 = most exposed)
How exposed to AI are welding trades?
13/100
AI exposure score (percentile of 365 UK occupations)
Very low#261
of 293 UK occupations (1 = most exposed)
£28,320
median full-time pay (ONS ASHE 2020) · 50,000 employee jobs
Welding trades sits in the very low exposure band: its abilities overlap with current AI applications more than about 13% of the 365 UK occupations the Department for Education scored. Lower exposure usually means more of the work depends on physical, practical or in-person abilities that current AI applications do not cover well. It does not mean the job will be untouched by technology.
Underlying scores: AIOE (all AI) -1.31, LLM exposure -1.41 (standardised; 0 is the average occupation). Skill level: Level 3. Pay and job counts are 2020 figures, so use them to compare occupations rather than as current salaries.
Job titles in this occupation
Titles the ONS SOC 2010 coding index places in unit group 5215 (30 of 36 shown). If your job title is here, this page uses the right figures for you.
brazer · welder · brazier · arc welder · co2 welder · gas cutter · mig welder · lead burner · chain welder · coded welder · flame cutter · scrap cutter · steel cutter · chain jointer · fitter-welder · welder-fitter · profile burner · thermic lancer · chassis builder · electric welder · acetylene burner · acetylene cutter · welding engineer · brazing machinist · fabricator welder · fabricator-welder · welder and cutter · welder-fabricator · fabrication welder · maintenance welder
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Lower-risk related jobs
Occupations in the same SOC 2010 sub-major group with a lower AI exposure score, highest-paid first. Pay difference is against £28,320 (ONS ASHE 2020 median, full-time). Switching usually needs retraining; this is a starting point, not advice.
| Occupation | Exposure | Median pay | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle paint technicians | 6/100 | £29,827 | +£1,507 |
| Sheet metal workers | 12/100 | £25,913 | −£2,407 |
Occupations with similar exposure
- Van drivers (13/100)
- Rail construction and maintenance operatives (12/100)
- Sheet metal workers (12/100)
- Groundsmen and greenkeepers (12/100)
← #260 Van drivers · #262 Rail construction and maintenance operatives →
Source: Department for Education (2023), The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (AIOE scores); ONS ASHE 2020 Table 14; job titles from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index (v7). Exposure is not a prediction of job loss. Methodology · Embed this data
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