Quality control technician
Check that products meet quality standards and are safe for customers to buy.
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£385
Entry level
£577
Experienced
Monthly
£1,667
Entry level
£2,500
Experienced
Yearly
£20,000
Entry level
£30,000
Experienced
4,800
people are currently employed
Low growth
No change in number of jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would check that products meet quality standards and are safe for customers to buy.
You would also help to set up and manage quality control systems.
You would:
Deal with feedback and complaints from customers
Refer issues to managers when needed
Assess suppliers
Check and update quality control policies
Train new staff
Write reports for quality managers.
Work in a team under the supervision of a quality manager
You would also have specialised tasks depending on where you work.
For example, if you worked in food and drink production, you would:
Find and remove faults in the production process
Test microbiological, chemical and physical samples
Check labels
Check that methods are in line with legislation
If you work in manufacturing engineering, you would:
Monitor each stage of production
Use statistical analysis to make sure that machined parts are within tolerance limits
Run tests for defects, for example electric vehicle battery leak detection
You would need technical knowledge of your industry. You would also need good knowledge of quality control standards and legislation.
Hours
Environment
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Food and drink Chemical sciences
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- understanding
- attention to detail
- observation
- problem solving
- written communication
- working with technology
- verbal communication
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
Design and Manufacture
Practical Craft Skills
Science
Foundation Apprenticeship: Engineering
Foundation Apprenticeship: Food and Drink Technologies
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You would need qualifications at SCQF level 4/5.
A Higher National Diploma (HND, SCQF level 8) or degree (SCQF level 9/10) is required for some roles.
Alternatively you can start in an entry role and take relevant work-based qualifications such as a Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) Certificate in Quality Management (QCF level 3).
Some knowledge of quality standards and working methods will be useful when applying for jobs in quality control. You can find details of these on the British Standards Institution (BSI) website.
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