Heavy-Duty Careers: How to Find the Best Manufacturing Jobs

Are you looking for a top manufacturing job?

Thanks to a strong economy, now is a good time to enter manufacturing. As of late last year, there were as many people working in manufacturing as there were in 1949.

The industry has had its share of ups and downs and changing fast. Manufacturing jobs require a high level of skills these days, and it’s not always easy to get one of the top jobs.

Read on to find out what the best manufacturing jobs are and how you can get your dream job.

Best Manufacturing Jobs

When you think of a manufacturing job, you’re probably thinking about products rolling down an assembly line. The assembly line still exists, but many of those steps are automated. The manufacturing jobs of today focus on technology and automation.

1. Computer Engineer

As you can imagine, there are a lot of engineering jobs in manufacturing. This is an advanced manufacturing job where you design and test manufacturing systems.

You’re also responsible for the maintenance and updating of antiquated manufacturing software. This is mainly a research and development role, as you look for ways to use technology to make manufacturing more efficient.

At a minimum, you’ll need to have a Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering to get one of these manufacturing jobs.

2. Production Manager

The production manager is responsible for the daily operations of the manufacturing plant. They make sure that there’s enough staff on hand to handle manufacturing demands, work gets done on time and within budget.

They are also the ones who hire and fire staff and address any problems along the production line. They’re the ones who shoulder the responsibility for everything that happens at the plant.

There are other titles for this position, but they all mean the same thing. Titles such as General Manager, Floor Supervisor, and Chief Manufacturing Executive are some of the titles that refer to this type of work.

If you want to become a production manager, you’ll need a Bachelor’s degree. Most managers have degrees in business or in engineering.

3. Machinist

The machinist is the one who uses tools to create parts for various industries, like auto or generators.

You’ll create the parts from blueprints, which means that your cuts have to be precise. In some cases, just a millimeter off could be the difference between a part working or not.

To get a job as a machinist, you need to train for it. That can come in the form of a degree from a trade school, apprenticeship, or on the job training.

The more experience you can bring to the table, the more likely you’ll be to get hired for one of these jobs.

4. Quality Control

When products come off of the production line, someone needs to ensure that they meet standards and customer expectations.

A quality control (QC) person will look at products for manufacturing defects, potential hazards, or other issues.

The level of education needed for a QC position depends on the field and industry of manufacturing. Some jobs only require on the job training and experience. Others are more involved and require a degree in engineering and computer science.

5. Manufacturing Sales

Sales jobs are a necessary part of manufacturing. After all, where will the goods go once they’re produced?

Some sales jobs require a high level of technical knowledge to be able to communicate the benefits of the products to customers. It depends on what industry you work in.

There are great things about being in sales. You get to help people and businesses solve pressing problems. You can also get skills and knowledge that are transferable all over the world.

For example, you can take your sales skills and work for ablesales.com.au selling generators directly from the manufacturer.

How to Get a Job in Manufacturing

How can land one of these manufacturing jobs? As you can see, the requirements for these positions vary. Here are a few tips you can put into action to get a manufacturing job.

Pick Your Industry

There are a lot of industries that rely on manufacturing. The more experience you can get in one industry, the faster you’ll be able to move up the corporate ladder.

There are manufacturing jobs in aeronautics/aerospace, consumer goods and products, food, cars, and energy manufacturing.

Choose Your Career Path

Are you just getting started in manufacturing? Maybe you have skills and experience that you can transfer to manufacturing.

Regardless of your starting point, you can have some control over your career. You’ll want to start by mapping out a career path for yourself.

If you want to be a Production Manager, you’ll want to find out the skills and experience required that you don’t have just yet. For example, you may already have an engineering degree, but you lack the management experience.

You may have to become an assistant production manager first and then step into a position for the main production manager.

Have a Great Resume

The average job posting gets about 250 resumes. If you want to stand a chance to get a manufacturing job, you need to get through the hiring process.

Your resume is the first impression that hiring managers will get. That first impression will form in just a few seconds.

You want a resume that’s clear, concise, and highlights your unique skills and experience. You want to have a strong cover letter that gets attention, too.

The Best Manufacturing Jobs Are Within Reach

Manufacturing has changed over the years, but the demand is still high for talented employees with the right skills and experience.

These top manufacturing jobs have a broad range of educational requirements and skillsets. Some are exacting like a machinist, while others are people-oriented like in sales or management.

No matter what your background is, there’s a manufacturing job for you. Do you want to know more? Check out this site for the latest job listings in your area.