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Non-destructive testing specialist

Also called nondestructive test specialist, non-destructive test specialist, nondestructive testing specialist

Non-destructive testing specialists carry out testing of vehicles, vessels, other manufactured objects, and construction structures without having to damage them. They use special equipment such as X-ray, ultrasound, radiographics, or infrared instruments to perform testing activities and report based on the observed results.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects15 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €1,000 (Bulgaria) to €4,800 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training.Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workersWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Product graders and testers (except foods and beverages) · ILO

What you'd do

Product graders and testers (except foods and beverages) · ILO
  • Inspecting and testing products, parts and materials for conformity with specifications and standards
  • Grading and classifying natural textile fibres for spinning and winding
  • Discarding or rejecting products, materials and equipment not meeting specifications
  • Analysing and interpreting blueprints, data, manuals, and other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures
  • Notifying supervisors and other personnel of production problems, and assisting in identifying and correcting these problems
  • Recording inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded
  • Marking items with details such as grade and acceptance or rejection status
  • Measuring dimensions of products using instruments such as rulers, callipers, gauges, or micrometers
  • Analysing test data and making computations as necessary to determine test results
Use testing equipmentUse non-destructive testing equipmentRecord test dataReport test findingsCreate solutions to problems+ 3 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Non-Destructive Testing Specialists"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers in the EU
4.07m3.96m3.58m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
910,000 replacing leavers 332,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers15
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of product graders and testers (except foods and beverages), 4 a surplus.
Product graders and testers (except foods and beverages) · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,800 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training is the usual route.

Highest qualification of food processing, woodworking, garment and other craft and related trades workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 11%Vocational 53%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 26%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.31 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 9 tasks
Analysing test data and making computations as necessary to determine test results0.56
Recording inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded0.36
Analysing and interpreting blueprints, data, manuals, and other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures0.32
Marking items with details such as grade and acceptance or rejection status0.32
Discarding or rejecting products, materials and equipment not meeting specifications0.28
Notifying supervisors and other personnel of production problems, and assisting in identifying and correcting these problems0.28
Inspecting and testing products, parts and materials for conformity with specifications and standards0.27
Measuring dimensions of products using instruments such as rulers, callipers, gauges, or micrometers0.24
Grading and classifying natural textile fibres for spinning and winding0.16

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for product graders and testers (except foods and beverages). Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).