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Prosthetic and Orthotic Technician

Designing, making and fitting prosthetics to help give people movement and independence

How this role makes a difference

Prosthetics is the clinical term used for making artificial limbs (prostheses). Orthotics is the clinical term used for making a range of devices (orthoses), everything from technical footwear to back braces.

Working in these areas involves developing an understanding of the different conditions people have that can lead to them needing an artificial limb or device.

Specifications are provided to make sure each item fits comfortably and functions properly, enabling people to do what they want to do. You could be the technician who gives children and adults freedom of movement and their independence again.

The kind of work you’ll do

  • Interacting with clinical staff, patients and families
  • Understanding requirements and following specifications
  • Taking measurements and producing moulds
  • Planning out designs and making limbs and devices
  • Fitting and fixing limbs and devices
  • Providing advice on technical solutions
  • Using computers to support customised manufacture and fitting
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Logical thinking
Skills & attributes

What you can bring to the role

An interest in healthcare and an enthusiasm for helping people.

A natural ability to look at a problem logically, to consider all possibilities and find the best solution.

The ability to focus and follow detailed instructions, both written and verbal.

Confidence to interact with diverse people.

Motivation to try new tools, machinery and computer software.

An enjoyment of understanding how things work.

This role could also be right for you if you have any of the following interests:

- building, making and fixing things

- science

- exploring problems and finding answers

£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

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*according to ONS

Future career opportunities

You could work in a team in the NHS, supporting clinicians and meeting with patients. You could also develop your skills working for a private manufacturing company.

Some companies work with patients directly, developing specialised devices. With experience you could lead a design team, working for the NHS or in a consultancy.

How to get into this role

There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.

But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:  

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

You’ll be making things that will have a huge impact on people’s lives and could even produce limbs or devices that enable Paralympians to compete. You’ll meet with patients to help with the fitting of their device and will often be able to see the difference you make almost immediately. You could be changing the lives of young children born with missing limbs, people who have been in accidents or suffered injuries serving in the military, or those that have clinical conditions that restrict them.

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Bex Yearworth

Prosthetic and Orthotic Technician

Bex Yearworth
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