Jobs In Manufacturing Career Cluster

Businesses Management And Administration

The business management and administration career cluster involves jobs focused on planning, organizing, and running a business. Typically, this job requires individuals to collaborate with others in an office setting.

According to the BLS, a bit more than half of the jobs in the cluster require a high school degree or equivalent, often with short-term, on-the-job training. Some jobs, though, require a bachelorâs degree and many years of experience, such as chief executive officers .

The nature of this cluster means that it is well suited to those who enjoy working with others to solve analytical and logistical problems. Some jobs commonly found in this cluster include:

Learn at your own pace

Skills you’ll build:

Creativity, Business Model, Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management, Innovation, Business Value, Management, Disruptive Innovation, Emotional Intelligence, Personal Productivity, Adaptibility, Problem Solving, Knowledge of Human Behavior, Social Skills, People Management, Working with Others, Storytelling

Would A Career In Architecture And Construction Be A Good Fit For You

• Full-time work schedules of 40 hours per week are pretty typical. Most projects operate on a deadline, and longer hours may sometimes be required.
• People who work in construction often say they prefer to work with their hands and have a variety of daily physical demands, rather than sit at a desk.
• Injuries are more common than in most industries: about 3% of workers each year have injuries or illness related to work.
• Many employers are open to hiring workers who have a criminal record.
• Workers may see the results of their efforts in projects and structures theyve helped buildsome that will last for many years.

Government And Public Administration

The Government and Public Administration cluster includes people who help enforce the law. For example, it includes tax collectors, municipal clerks, military workers and customs brokers. This cluster also includes postal service clerks, mail carriers and aircrew members.

A bachelor’s degree is a requirement for some positions, and but jobs like judges and magistrates require an advanced degree. Based on the career you want to pursue, you could also achieve a Municipal Clerks Certification, a Tax Assessor Certification or a . The work environment is typically a city’s municipal office or a customs office. A career in this cluster may be of interest to people who have great communication skills or an interest in politics.

Career pathways in the Government and Public Administration cluster include:

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Advanced Manufacturing Career Pathways

Manufacturing is planning, managing, and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance and manufacturing/process engineering. The manufacturing career cluster is divided into six distinct pathways. These six pathways have over 96 different careers or occupations. Here are samples of top careers in manufacturing. For a complete list, visit careertech.org/manufacturing.

The 16 Career Clusters

The National Career Clusters Framework, a common organizing tool used by many universities and state agencies, includes sixteen clusters covering a wide range of industries and fields . Those sixteen career clusters are as follows:

Read on to find out more about each cluster, the types of personalities they are suited to, and skills they require.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, all of the information below is taken from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics .

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What Are The 16 Career Clusters

The National Career Clusters Framework, which includes 16 career clusters, is an organizational tool used with the Career Technical Education program. It groups careers to help you find one that matches your skills and interests. The clusters include 79 unique pathways to pursue, and there are a variety of careers within those pathways.

Here are the 16 career clusters:

What Is A Career Cluster 16 Types You Should Know

Career clusters can help you pick a career path. Learn about sixteen of the most common clusters today.

Career clusters are collections of jobs with shared characteristics, such as industry and objective. Job seekers use career clusters to help them find professions that match their particular interests and skills.

In this article, you will learn about sixteen career clusters and their common professions.. To help you get started, suggested online courses accompany each cluster, offering an opportunity for you to start your career path today.

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What Are Some Careers In Manufacturing

Unlike in many industries, new hires in manufacturing are commonly expected to learn the work on the job. Therefore, many occupations have minimal education requirementstypically a high school diploma or lessand new hires can also earn a technical certificate on the job.

Apprenticeships are common in the manufacturing industry and offer wages while learning a skilled trade. Some of the occupations that may be entered through apprenticeship include CNC programmers, precision machinists, industrial maintenance repairers, mold makers, and tool and die makers.

Check out the list below to learn about manufacturing careers at different levels of education. Click any link to find out more about a career, including average wages, employment projections, training requirements and more.

High school education

Manufacturing Careers: Job Titles Skills And Faqs

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Manufacturing is a broad field that includes a wide range of job titles and duties. Each job has a vital position in the production of new materials, and different manufacturing professionals work together to ensure product quality. Learning about the many roles in the manufacturing industry can help you choose a career path in the field that suits your interests and your professional goals. In this article, we explain the best and highest paying manufacturing careers and the types of jobs in the manufacturing cluster and answer common questions about manufacturing skills.

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What Are The 16 Career Clusters Definition And Guide

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Video: How To Choose a Career Based on Your Interests | Indeed Career Tips

In this video, Jenn, a certified Career Coach, shares her advice for identifying a professional path that you will love. She boils it down to three primary questions: What’s important to me? What do I want next? What should I do now?

Choosing the best career path is an important decision that involves your skills, educational background and interests. It’s also a decision that may affect the education you pursue and your journey to retirement. Knowing the 16 career clusters can help you choose the most appropriate career path.

In this article, we answer “What are the career clusters?” and explore the pathways and careers within each of them.

About Career Cluster Match

The National Career Clusters Framework identifies 16 career clusters and related career pathways that are designed to grow career awareness and exploration. Career Clusters are groups of occupations in the same field of work that require similar skills. Each cluster contains several smaller groups called career Pathways that connect to educational programs, industries, and jobs. While a Career Cluster paints a broad picture of a group of occupations, a Pathway helps you focus on and develop a clear, more informed, educational plan over time.

The Career Cluster Match was adapted and produced with permission from the Career Academic Connections Division of the Oklahoma Department of Career Tech. This survey does not make any claims of statistical reliability and has not been normed. It is intended for use as a guidance tool to generate discussion regarding careers and is valid for that purpose.

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

Manufacturing

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

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Is Manufacturing A Fit For You

Core skills that are necessary for success in these occupations:

• Repairing Repairing machines or systems using the right tools
• Equipment Maintenance Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment
• Installation Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs
• Equipment Selection Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job
• Troubleshooting Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work
• Operation & Control Using equipment or systems
• Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working
• Quality Control Analysis Testing how well a product or service works
• Technology Design Making equipment and technology useful for customers
• Monitoring Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Career Pathways For Manufacturers

Manufacturing is a vibrant, innovative field with an array of in-demand career paths. It is no longer an industry thats defined by physical labor and dark factory settings. Rather, advanced technologies and computerized systems are paving new paths for modern manufacturing workers. Much of todays manufacturing careers are lean, green, high-tech, and highly creative, allowing people of all skillsets to take part in producing goods for our greater economy.

Over 70 percent of Americans view manufacturing as important, as well as the most important industry for a strong economy and national defense. If you are considering breaking into manufacturing, rest assured there are a variety of important career paths you can take within the field. And there is opportunity in all sectors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , as of February 2021, there are about 538,000 job openings in manufacturing across the country. On top of this, the National Association of Manufacturing predicts that full-time employment within manufacturing will reach its highest point since 2018, in 2021.

The opportunity is clear, but the question remains, what are the different manufacturing career pathways, and which direction is right for you?

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What Jobs Are In The Manufacturing Cluster

Career clusters refer to the many general career pathways people can choose from when entering the workforce. The manufacturing cluster includes several categories of careers, and each category involves many job types. Here are some job categories in the manufacturing cluster and career options in each one:

What Are Some Careers In Architecture And Construction

Many in-demand construction careers have no formal education requirements or may be obtained with a high school diploma or equivalent. Skills in these fields are often gained through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship is a tradition in the construction industry, and its a great way to enter many fieldslearning on the job while earning a paycheck. Employers, unions, and professional associations offer apprenticeship positions, and apprentices take classes and complete skill levels to earn wage increases that are negotiated in advance. Workers who have specialized skills in hands-on occupations are often referred to as tradespeople.

Check out some of these careers in architecture and construction at different levels of typical education requirements most are currently in-demand:

High school diploma or no formal education requirements

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Would A Career In Manufacturing Be A Good Fit For Me

Do you have technical or hands-on skills? Like to work with tools, and prefer to avoid desk work? A career in manufacturing might be a good fit for you.

If you are considering a career in this cluster, here are some points to keep in mind:

• Round-the-clock shifts are commonand first shift positions are usually harder to find than night shifts or weekends. In addition, some employers may require mandatory overtime to meet production demand.
• Working conditions may include loud noise, heat or cold, and standing for long periods of time.
• Candidates who enjoy tinkering with hand or machine tools and are curious about mechanical systems have a hiring advantage in this industry.
• Due to worker shortages, manufacturers may have to compete for workers by offering increased wages, benefits, and flexibility in scheduling.

How Can Manufacturing Professionals Highlight Their Skills

It’s important for you to showcase a range of skills while applying for manufacturing jobs. Most hiring managers seek candidates with a combination of technical and soft skills. Here are some ways to display your skills during the job application process:

• On your CV: Create a specific section on your resume for your skills. Order them logically for the hiring manager to follow, and consider including adjectives to emphasise your strengths, and include any skills you have that the job description mentions.

• In your cover letter: A cover letter provides you with the opportunity to show your personality and make an impression on the hiring manager. Highlight your expertise, training and skills, including high-level details about your previous experiences that involved you using the position’s required skills.

• In an interview: Your interview allows you to provide in-depth examples of your previous experiences and skills. Provide examples that illustrate how you used them to help the hiring manager understand your abilities and what you can achieve with them.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate’s experience, academic background and location.

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Start With Career Clusters To Help Choose Your Career Direction

Career clusters are groups of related types of work. They give you an easy way to explore different kinds of jobs within one broad category. Start with one of the clusterslike health care or constructionto learn what it involves, current trends, and the different careers it offers.

Its often easier to change jobs and advance within a career cluster. Identifying with a cluster can help you build your career and choose credentialssuch as a college degree, specialized training, or certificationsthat will qualify you for a variety of different, but related, jobs.

Transportation Distribution And Logistics

The Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster drive and fix vehicles or work behind the scenes to make sure that public transportation is efficient at all times. They’re drivers, pilots, rail car repairers, parking lot attendants, civil engineers and transportation planners. Pilots, train operators and truck drivers must be licensed, while engineering roles require an advanced degree. For rail car repairers, a specific certification is not required but can be very helpful.

The work environment can be a car repair shop, a train, a bus or an office. Location depends on the specific career. The careers in this cluster may be attractive for people who have a passion for driving vehicles or fixing them.

Career pathways in the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster are:

Some to pursue in this cluster are:

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The Manufacturing Career Clusters

There are six key career clusters, or career pathways, within the manufacturing industry. Within each bucket there are many different job titles you can pursue. Below is an outline of the six manufacturing career paths, along with examples of top careers within each:

When many people think of manufacturing, it is production that comes to mind. Production is the process of creating and assembling goods. The production career pathway is meant for those who are innovative, and interested in bringing designs to life. These professionals may work with machines, materials like metal, glass, and wood, electronic systems, and specialized welding equipment. Examples of career paths in this cluster include, but are not limited to:

• Research Analysts

Logistics refers to the planning and movement of materials to and from manufacturing sites. Inventory control, similarly, involves organizing the transportation, receipt, and delivery of both materials and products, from acquisition to distribution. Those working in this manufacturing career cluster oversee activities like the purchasing inventory, the transportation of products, and the warehousing of goods. They ensure that there is a constant movement or cycle of inventory, and that materials and products are all accounted for on a daily basis. Examples of careers within this manufacturing pathway include:

• Shipping and Receiving Specialists
• Inventory Control Specialists

• Safety Supervisors

Manufacturing Production Process Development Pathway

Design EngineerDesign Engineers study, research, and develop ideas for new products and the systems used to make them. They also modify existing products or processes to increase efficiency or improve performance.

Engineering TechnicianEngineering technicians help solve technical problems in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance by using science, technology, engineering, and mathematics principles.

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Maintenance Installation And Repair Pathway

Computer Maintenance TechnicianComputer Maintenance Technicians oversee daily computer performance, provide technical support and install new software for users. Activities include running diagnostics, responding to inquiries, resolving issues and installing updates.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersPlumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair pipes that carry liquids or gases to, within, and from businesses, homes, and factories.

Health Safety And Environmental Assurance

Employees in Health, Safety and Environmental Assurance ensure that the equipment is being used safely in the workplace plan for safety in new production processes conduct health, safety and/or environmental incident and hazard investigations conduct preventive health, safety and/or environmental incident and hazard inspections and implement health, safety and/or environmental programs, projects, policies or procedures. They may train workers in health, safety and/or environmental issues and provide event documentation. Sample occupations include:

• Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
• Safety Engineer

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What’s The Difference Between A Career Cluster And An Industry

Industries are groups of businesses that have related activities or products. Where career clusters include a variety of careers that share similar knowledge, skills, and interests, industries include many unrelated careers. The career cluster / industry pages show the industries and types of organizations that typically employ workers in each career cluster.

Learn about these key career cluster / industry groups and see related careers for each: