Manufacturing jobs are one of the enigmas of today's career landscape.
As more and more steps of the manufacturing process can be done by machines, the amount of jobs available in the industry is on the decline. But for the available positions, which have started to rebound, hiring managers can't find potential employees with the more technologically advanced skills they need.
A recent survey from business management software supplier Sage North America found that small and midsize business manufacturers are adding jobs and optimistic about the economy. Of the respondents, 73 percent reported hiring new staffers in the last six months. An employment graph from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the number of manufacturing employees rebounding slowly but surely following the lowest point in 2010.
But the jobs available today aren't your grandpa's manufacturing jobs. To succeed in this field, employees need some digital savvy as well as the other skills, training and certifications specific to each position.
Know in advance
Autodesk Inc. creates 3-D design software for use in a variety of different industries, and manufacturing is a big one. According to Buzz Kross, the company's senior vice president, says one of the main things that's changed the face of manufacturing is the ability to build a digital prototype of a product before the physical product is created.
"Before you make it, you ought to know everything about it," Kross says. "It helps you make a more competitive product that you know a ton about."
"The old world was a build it, try it, fix it and re-build it environment. If it failed, you had to do something to fix it. Maybe it didn't fail and it was just too expensive. In today's world, you do all that stuff digitally," he adds.
Kross gives the example of a drop test for a phone. Instead of actually dropping it, seeing how it breaks and figuring out what you need to fix, digital modeling can do all that for you. Autodesk's tools can even model an actual factory layout, helping companies create the most efficient operation.
Having started as a manufacturing engineer, Kross says the industry has changed a lot, but there are lots of classes and online tools to help those with manufacturing careers update their skills. And on its face, manufacturing is still about invention.
"We get to invent the next new product and do things that are really going to change the direction of the world if you do your job well," he says. "For example, if you're able to create something that gets 10 percent more fuel efficiency, that has a huge impact."
Because of the skills gap and the need for workers with digital aptitude, manufacturing is an ideal path for young people who are considering their career paths. Ray Prendergast, director of manufacturing technology programs at the City Colleges of Chicago, says there are lots of job opportunities even without an advanced degree, and associates degree holders can make $60,000 a year or more.
"Because there is a skills gap, students have a leg up on entry," Prendergast says. "Even if you see a job requiring 3-5 years of experience, don't let that deter you."
He also notes that there's lots of opportunity for women in the field, as they're no longer at a disadvantage in terms of strength with all the technical advances. The programs at City Colleges of Chicago don't focus nearly as much on physical work, such as "teaching people how to run multiple spindle screw machines," as they did 20 years ago, Prendergast says.
However, he's also seen an increase in industry veterans joining the program in order to get those tech skills they need to stay competitive. The median age in the program is 28, which Prendergast says is fairly high for a community college.
As far as soft skills, Prendergast says the ability to work in a team is newly important, especially since some teams might even interface with employees overseas. Kim Polvino, human resources manager at Anomatic Corp., says she also looks for ambition and "an insatiable need to learn new stuff all the time" in potential employees. The aluminum manufacturing company expects continued job growth.
"One of the most rewarding parts of being in the manufacturing sector is that you get to see how things are made and have a hands-on role in the effort," Polvino says. "It's an immediate sense of satisfaction to see a nice looking, safe and functional product that you helped design and produce in the hands of the final customer."