Our OM students hold many misconceptions about the manufacturing industry. There’s a widespread belief that the U.S. manufacturing industry is in decline, that jobs are going overseas, and that the industry doesn’t provide fulfilling or well-paying careers, particularly for younger workers. But this couldn’t be farther from reality.
The Manufacturing Institute says that nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled in the next decade, and 2 million of those jobs will go unfilled (Industry Week, Oct. 23, 2018). The available jobs, even at the lower rungs of manufacturing, pay well, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for manufacturing production jobs is $44,595 ($21.44 per hour). In truth, the average pay for the manufacturing industry is comparable with jobs in the technology sector. For example, the average base pay for a manufacturing supervisor is $64,118, for a manufacturing engineer $71,679, and for a director of manufacturing, $146,412. That’s significantly more than what most students expect when they think about compensation in the manufacturing industry.
There’s also a perception that manufacturing jobs are repetitive, monotonous, underpaid, and involve working in decrepit, dirty factories. But the industry has evolved and is more dynamic and complex than it used to be. There’s more technology, more data, more analysis, more creativity, more gamification, more critical thinking, and more problem solving.
Our students often don’t view manufacturing as a desirable career option, and that poses a big problem. The growth of industry depends on worker participation of all demographics. Hopefully, our OM course will show that there are real opportunities for them, from professional growth to dynamic learning environments to competitive compensation. While the service sector remains a big part of the U.S. economy, manufacturing also contributes mightily and isn’t going away anytime in the foreseeable future.