Working in Manufacturing Rising in Popularity

Recently, working in the manufacturing sector has become more popular.

You might think that working in the manufacturing industry is not an option for young people on the brink of making career choices. In reality, the younger generations are much more open to the possibilities the manufacturing sector has to offer.

According to a survey carried out by L2L, working in manufacturing is much more popular than one would expect.

For instance, the survey showed that 27% of Generation Z would consider working in the manufacturing sector compared to 14% of Baby Boomers, 17% of Generation X and 26% of Millennials. With the growing importance of CNC machining services, the extra workforce would definitely come in handy.

The younger generations are more exposed to working in the manufacturing sector than ever before as Generation Z is twice as likely to have family or friends working in manufacturing.

Also, the educators and media have done a great job of exposing the younger generations to working in manufacturing and the potential it has. For example, 54% of Gen Z understand that there’s a clear shortage of skilled workers in the field. You can find plenty of openings for machine operator jobs and other manufacturing roles in the industry all over online job posting sites.

Career counsellors have also taken notice and are suggesting working in manufacturing as a career choice more often than ever before. A third of Gen Z respondents have been suggested a career in manufacturing. It is almost double that of Millennials and almost triple of the general population.

The only challenge we face now is getting the younger generations to see working in manufacturing as an attractive career option. And this can be done by educating them on the many benefits of working in the manufacturing industry.

For example, working in manufacturing offers:

– Competitive pay: manufacturing workers are typically paid more than the national average.

– Good working conditions: manufacturing environments are often clean and well-lit with plenty of breaks.

– Job security: the manufacturing industry is resilient and growing, meaning that jobs are secure.

– Variety of jobs: there are many types of jobs in the manufacturing sector, ensuring that each person can find one that is suitable.

The biggest gap in understanding the above is in terms of salary. Young people assume the annual salary of a Manufacturing Manager to be around $60,000. The reality? In 2018, the average salary was $118,500.

Combining the perks above with the young working population’s desire to accumulate as much job experience as possible before settling down, working in manufacturing can provide a quick way to boost someone’s average work experience without sacrificing working conditions or pay. 

People’s perception of working in the manufacturing industry might also be a bit outdated in regards to the amount of manual labour involved. For example, companies offering state-of-the-art laser cutting services only need manual work for setting the parameters, all the cutting is done automatically. The younger generation is starting to understand the changes that have taken place and transformed working in the manufacturing sector nowadays.

And it seems that these benefits are recognised by Generation Z who are supportive of this movement. So, although 6 out of 10 positions in manufacturing remain unfilled in part due to false industry perceptions, manufacturing is working to make itself more appealing to younger generations who are changing the game in what they expect from their careers.

Plus, there are so many ways for employers to appeal to younger generations nowadays. Gen Z prefers a hiring process that begins online, and is facilitated by the latest advancements in technology, such as featuring important onboarding templates and leveraging the possibilities of social media. If we want to attract the youth, we need to make the whole process as frictionless as possible from start to finish.