Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Factory worker CV template (text format)
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Experienced Factory Worker with 5+ years in manufacturing and production environments. Skilled in operating machinery, assembly line work, quality control, and warehouse operations. Strong understanding of health and safety regulations and adept at working in fast-paced, high-volume settings. Seeking to apply my expertise at Unilever Manchester.
EDUCATION
Salford Sixth Form College | 20XX–20XX
A Levels: Mathematics (B), Business Studies (B), English (C)
CERTIFICATIONS
- Level 2 Certificate in Manufacturing Operations
- Forklift Truck Licence (Counterbalance/Reach) (if applicable)
- IOSH Working Safely – 20XX
- Manual Handling Training – 20XX
WORK EXPERIENCE
Factory Worker
Unilever UK, Manchester | 20XX – Present
- Operate and maintain automated production machinery to ensure smooth manufacturing processes
- Conduct quality checks on finished products, identifying defects and ensuring compliance with standards
- Work efficiently on an assembly line, meeting daily production quotas
- Follow health and safety protocols, ensuring compliance with workplace regulations
- Train new employees on machine operation and safety procedures
Production Operative
Nestlé UK, York | 20XX – 20XX
- Assisted in packaging, labelling, and palletising products for distribution
- Monitored production lines for malfunctions and performed basic troubleshooting
- Maintained clean and organised work areas in line with hygiene and safety standards
KEY SKILLS
- Machine operation (CNC, conveyor systems)
- Quality control & inspection
- Assembly line production
- Packing & labelling
- Forklift & warehouse operations (Forklift Licence if applicable)
- Health & safety compliance (IOSH, COSHH)
- Teamwork & time management
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Willing to work shifts, overtime, and weekends
- Physically fit for manual handling and lifting duties
How to write a factory worker CV
Manufacturing jobs are crucial to the UK economy, accounting for about 8% of total employment.
The food and drink, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries are some of the biggest employers of factory workers.
To get ahead in these key sectors, you’ll need to write a CV that highlights your reliability, attention to detail, and relevant technical technical training. Here’s how:
1. Write a strong personal statement
Your personal statement should be the introduction to your CV, hooking the employer by immediately highlighting your essential training and relevant experience.
Open by highlighting your years of experience and any essential qualifications that qualify you for the job (e.g., a forklift truck license or IOSH certification).
Then, share one or two strengths that emphasise you as a fit for the hiring team. For example, if you’re applying for a mobile plant operative role, you might highlight your experience operating walking floor trailers.
Reliable and safety-conscious factory worker with 3 years of experience in waste management and recycling environments. Competent in operating walking floor trailers for bulk haulage, ensuring swift load management and adherence to health and safety protocols. Motivated to contribute to SUEZ’s commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and excellence in waste operations.
2. Identify the right skills for your factory worker CV
Factory work demands a mix of hard skills, with many roles requiring specific machine operation knowledge, quality inspection skills, and experience with warehouse tools.
Employers often look for the following skills in candidate factory workers:
- Operating production machinery
- Quality control and inspection
- Forklift and pallet truck operation
- Packaging and labelling
- Health and safety compliance
3. Show reliability in your work experience section
If you have previous manufacturing experience, your work experience section should show employers how you’ve used your skills and expertise on the job. In particular, employers will want evidence of the following:
- Knowledge of safety standards and procedures
- Confidence in operating specific machinery
- Experience working in specific factory settings (e.g., on production lines)
If you’re applying for your first manufacturing job, use your work experience section to demonstrate relevant transferable skills, such as reliability, problem solving, or record-keeping.
The best way to present this information is to bullet your work experience section, listing 3–6 achievements or responsibilities under each job you previously worked. Aim to describe one unique achievement or skill per bullet point and include the positive outcome of your actions where possible. Here’s a great example:
Factory Operative
Nestlé Purina, Birmingham | June 20XX – Present
- Operated automated machinery to assemble 500+ units per shift, ensuring 98% defect-free production
- Implemented a new stock rotation system, reducing material waste by 15%
- Trained 5 new hires, improving team efficiency and reducing onboarding time by 30%
- Maintained 100% compliance with health and safety protocols, preventing workplace accidents