For many things in life, perception is reality. But when it comes to careers in manufacturing, perception isn’t reality. Indeed, it’s just the opposite.
Industry Week reports on a study Leading2Lean software company did on the public’s perception about manufacturing careers. They found reality opposite of perception concerning the industry’s future. For instance,
One indication of industry growth or decline is the number of current available jobs and the predicted number of future jobs. According to the survey, 58% of respondents believe the number of manufacturing jobs is declining. But oft-quoted numbers from the Manufacturing Institute say 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.
The available jobs, even at the lower rungs of manufacturing, pay well, too. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in July 2018 the average annual salary for manufacturing production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls was $44,595.20, which translates to $21.44 per hour. This is almost three times the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. And manufacturing workers are commonly offered better benefits—paid leave, insurance and bonuses—than those in other industries.
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