Manufacturing Needs You!
The average age of the manufacturing workforce is almost 55.  As the baby boomer generation continues to retire over the next 10 years, the employment demand for manufacturing will increase exponentially.

Even today, manufacturing is experiencing a shortage of technically trained workers, particularly in production and the direct support of production, including engineering and skilled crafts.

The National Association of Manufacturers estimates that there will be a national demand for 10 million new skilled workers by 2020.

Did you know that there is a projected demand for almost 800 new manufacturing workers each year through 2010 in Pennsylvania’s Heartland?

 

 
   *Source: Center for Workforce Information and Analysis data compiled by CPWDC.

 

Manufacturing accounts for over 15 percent of the workforce in Pennsylvania’s Heartland. 
The field of manufacturing is very diverse.  So where do they work?

    *Source: Center for Workforce Information and Analysis data compiled by CPWDC.

 

 

What are some benefits of working in manufacturing?

• Flexibility – Many manufacturing facilities run around the clock, creating opportunities for working shifts that appeal to your lifestyle.

• Career ladders – Individuals can enter the manufacturing workforce with limited training or experience.  However, with additional training there are substantial opportunities to move within a facility.

• Family sustaining wages – The average manufacturing employee earns $34,900 annually.

• Benefits – according to the National Association for Manufacturers, a higher percentage of manufacturing employees receive health benefits from their employers than any other economic sector, except government.

 

 

Educational Requirements for Manufacturing

There are career opportunities within the manufacturing industry available to individuals with a wide variety of education and experience.  In fact, the majority of the jobs in manufacturing are obtainable with little formalized education, with training taking place on the job.  Shortages also exist in trade occupations as well as higher skilled positions such as engineering.  Here are some selected examples:

Occupation	Minimum Education Required	Average Salary
Packing and Filling Machine Operators	Short-Term On-the-Job Training	$25,377
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	Short-Term On-the-Job Training	$26,015
Team Assemblers	Moderate-Term On-the-Job Training	$24,470
Production Inspectors and Testers	Moderate-Term On-the-Job Training	$26,128
Machinists	Long-Term On-the-Job Training	$29,832
Computer Controlled Machine Tool Operators	Long-Term On-the-Job Training	$26,775
Welders	Vocational Training	$30,929
Mechanical Drafters	Vocational Training	$36,847
Production Supervisors	Work Experience Beyond Training	$41,072
Industrial Production Managers	Bachelor’s Degree	$26,015
Plant / General Managers	Bachelor’s Degree	$58,450

*Source: Center for Workforce Information and Analysis and compiled by CPWDC.
 

 

Check out these resources for more information on manufacturing.

National Association of Manufacturers
http://www.nam.org

National Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-2003
http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

Society of Manufacturing Engineers
http://www.manufacturingiscool.com

Get Tech Website
http://www.gettech.org/
 

 

What does it take to work in manufacturing?