Careers in Manufacturing

Actually, the pay in manufacturing is about $10,000 more than the average income in this region. At over $57,000 per year, the average manufacturing employee earns a comfortable income for a region with a relatively low cost of living. Of course, if you are starting as an entry-level employee, as is the case in most fields, your salary/per hour pay will be lower in the beginning. Most facilities in the region start employees at around $10.00 per hour for entry-level positions, with ample opportunities for increases, even in the first year of employment! Remember, if you have a set of in-demand skills or education, you may be eligible for higher paying positions.

Absolutely! Currently, there are HUNDREDS of jobs available in manufacturing across Southwest Virginia. SVAM keeps an up-to-date careers page for current opportunities at www.swvam.org/mfgcareers. Don’t see anything that interests you right now? Check back in a week, as the page is updated every Thursday.

Increasingly, education is important in the manufacturing sector. Today, over half of manufacturing workers have at least some college education. These numbers will only continue to increase as technology continues to advance. There are great technical training programs around the region through community colleges and other providers. These institutions offer programs like welding, machining, industrial maintenance and more. Remember, the more qualifications you have, the better. If you are interested in pursuing a four-year degree, consider a major in engineering, technology-related fields or business!

According to The Manufacturing Skills Institute, the skills gap (meaning a shortage of qualified workers with needed skills) continues to increase. That means that one of the biggest challenges manufacturers currently face is not being able to find qualified workers to fill their positions! The areas with the highest shortages are technology/computer skills, math skills, problem solving skills and basic technical skills. If you arm yourself with knowledge in these areas, you will have a leg up in your manufacturing job search!

Yes! Most do. In fact, according to the Manufacturing Institute:

• 84 percent have retirement benefits through their job
• 90 percent have health care benefits
• 95 percent have paid vacation
• 81 percent have paid sick leave

There are over 250 manufacturers in the region. This ranges from small operations with two or three employees all the way up to some of the largest employers in Southwest Virginia, with 500 or more employees.

What you’ve got to remember here is that manufacturing is a business. Yes, there are a lot of positions on the floor of plants in assembly, maintenance, and machining, but there are a lot of others also! Manufacturing facilities have HR Managers, IT experts, Executives, Chemists, Marketing Officers and so much more…

Most manufacturers have a standard application process wherein you fill out an application on-site and then go in for an interview if selected or check their website for an online application. Another option is to contact a staffing agency. They often specialize in specific types of employment and may be able to connect you with manufacturing positions. You can check sites like Indeed, where you can search by location, occupation, or company.

You can also visit SVAM’s careers page at www.swvam.org/mfgcareers to view open positions from our Members.

Like all interviews, presentation is everything! You can’t show off your skills or knowledge if the person interviewing you already has a negative impression of you because of a wrinkled shirt. You don’t have to wear a suit for every interview, but clean professional clothes are a must. Invest in a nice pair of pants or skirt/dress and a button down or dress shirt, this can be your interview uniform.

Not at all! While there are ample opportunities to work with your hands in manufacturing, there are a lot of jobs available that aren’t purely physical. You can work in technology, business, management or a variety of other positions, all within manufacturing.

Absolutely! Manufacturers prefer to hire from within. Once you get your foot in the door, your hard work will get you far! Showing dedication and commitment to a company or career field means that you will be a prime candidate for advancement opportunities that come open at your place of work.

Yes! Increasingly, women are becoming an integral part of the manufacturing workforce. In fact, some Southwest Virginia manufacturers actually employ more women than men! On average, the manufacturing workforce is about 30% female.

No. While working with inherently dirty products (think oil and coal) means that you may get dirty as well, the majority of manufacturing jobs aren’t like this at all. Take for example the food and food packaging manufacturers, their facilities are literally clean enough to eat from! Don’t count on coming home dirty just because you work in manufacturing-there’s something for everyone.

Absolutely. Manufacturing increasingly needs highly educated and skilled workers. Whether your major was in business or engineering, there is a place for you in manufacturing. From finance to research, there are a multitude of career paths you can take in manufacturing.