Friday, November 2, 2007

Making It Work: Careers in Manufacturing and Production

If you have a strong interest in understanding how things work and making sure that they continue to do so, a career in manufacturing and production might be for you. When you get invested in a career in this field, you will find that you have plenty of opportunities to take your work in a wide number of ways.

There are a variety of careers that you can get into when you pursue education in manufacturing and production. The process of manufacturing essentially involves creating equipment, and you'll find that there are number of positions that will open up in production shops. Depending on the level of certification, you will be able to find positions in quality assurance. You'll also find that there are many opportunities that involve machine maintenance, installation and repair. When it comes to salaries, there is a very wide range that will be offered in the both the United States and in Canada. For instance, with a degree in manufacturing engineering, you'll find that salaries start at an impressive 50,000 dollars, and with experience and time, can ascend to 90,000. In the United States, as well, you'll find that there are number of different jobs that will allow you to be paid hourly and quite well; you'll find that a starting salary of fifteen to twenty dollars an hour is not out of the question.

Remember that when you enter a career in manufacturing, there are many different things that you can do. You'll find that you may be asked to specialize in very short order. You'll find that there are many different options to be found in maintenance and installation alone. Similarly, you'll find that when it come to straight manufacturing, your area of expertise will be quite narrow. While there is some room for things like generalize manufacturing, more often, you'll find that narrowing your field of study will be to your advantage. Remember that the more education you can get, the better off you will be in the long run when it comes to things like salary expectations and promotion opportunities.

Before you even enter training to work in a manufacturing or production career, there are a few things that you should already be proficient with or comfortable doing. One useful background that is often looked for when it comes manufacturing is algebra and geometry. This type of math is very good for teaching you the spatial relationships between things, and they are especially handy when you are considering a career manufacturing design.

Similarly, you will find that some computer knowledge is handy. While the office suites are handy to understand, any experience with rendering programs will always be handy. You'll also want to think about ensuring that you enjoy problem solving and have a fair degree of mechanical aptitude. Remember that when you are considering a career in manufacturing, you should nurture good people skills. Think about the fact that you will constantly be working with other people, usually in a cooperative fashion. Being a team player is an extremely important thing when you are considering a career in production

When it comes to classwork, you are usually looking at a 2 year program at an accredited college or university. While there are quite a few classes that you need to take, some standouts include Technical Math, Industrial Computer Technology, and Industrial Electronics. Maintaining at least a 3.3 average is considered to be ideal.

There are many American and Canadian companies that can provide you with excellent employment opportunities. For instance, in the United States, you will find that there are a number of different companies to choose from. For instance, you'll find that Allegheny Technologies, American Machine and Foundry and Herman Miller, an office furniture producer. Similarly, in Canada, you'll be able to take advantage of Canadian Car and Foundry, Totem Acoustics, and Virtual Dynamics. When you are looking for opportunities when it comes to manufacturing, make sure that you look for small companies as well as large ones. Small companies tend to give you more in the way creative work, though larger companies are typically more stable.

When you are looking for manufacturing jobs, there are a lot of different options that are open to you. Explore your options and make sure that you wind up with a job suits you well.

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