What Will Manufacturing Careers Look Like in 2021?

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What Will Manufacturing Careers Look Like in 2021?

As manufacturing industries continue to change, what will jobs look like in the future? Here’s more about the future possibilities of manufacturing careers.

When you think of manufacturing jobs, what do you picture? Chances are, you think of factory workers covered in oil, or some other slick substance, with hardened hands carrying a lunch pale. But how long will that image hold? 

As manufacturing industries continue to change, and more companies move toward automated manufacturing, what will jobs look like in the future? Read on to find out more about the future possibilities of manufacturing careers.

What Are Manufacturing Jobs? 

Manufacturing jobs create new products from materials. Manufacturing jobs consist of factory, mill, and plant jobs, but can also occur in-home. So long as the business operates on providing consumers with products instead of services, the job is manufacturing. 

Cobblers, crafts makers, and custom tailors are examples of non-factory manufacturing jobs. Restaurants, book stores, and mining are not manufacturing jobs because they are not modifying the product with any manufacturing processes. 

Construction companies are somewhat of a gray area, but for the most part, they are not considered manufacturing jobs. 

Keeping Humans Involved 

Companies continue to strive towards keeping humans employed with manufacturing jobs. Keeping humans in the workforce is a challenge because much of the world’s technology and AI could potentially cut labor costs. 

Regardless of the challenges, most companies are still devising plans to keep humans in their workforce structure. The object is to minimize meaningless, wasteful tasks and train humans to operate factories, plants, and mills with limited effort.

If humans can simplify the manufacturing process, they can focus harder on more meaningful work, such as creating value for consumers. 

Digitally Trained Humans 

The factory worker of the future will understand how to operate digital pieces of software instead of heavy machinery. The rise of automation brings with it an increase in manufacturing careers. 

Usually referred to as “soft” skills, manufacturing careers of the future focus on uniquely human abilities such as innovation, critical thinking, and management. 

Companies will need workers who can hone these skills and integrate them into a highly automated manufacturing environment

The Digital Manufacturing Toolbox

Manufacturing careers of the future utilize digital tools instead of hardware.

The idea is that humans will no longer have to risk injury or death using dangerous equipment. Instead, we’ll leave the heavy lifting to the robots and machines. But who’s operating those machines and managing those robots? Manufacturers. 

Human-Digital Manufacturing Careers

The continuing trend of digitalizing the world will change manufacturing careers forever. Change is scary, but most often, it’s for the best. The challenge for manufacturers becomes how to integrate humans’ intangible skills with digital workers effectively. 

Understanding how manufacturing might change in the future is a crucial step to a smooth transition. Workers will have to become digitally proficient if they want to remain a valuable resource in a rapidly changing field. 

Tools such as collaboration platforms, project management apps, and social media are just the tip of the ice-berg. Imagine being able to run whole factories from the comfort of your couch at home. The possibilities are limitless, embrace the change! 

For more information on manufacturing careers, check out our recruiting page!

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