Manufacturing, in the past, hasn’t always had the best rep. For a lot of people, it can still be seen as little more than manual labor for pay. But the truth is that it can be a lot more and offer a lot more. Here, we’re going to look at why people of all kinds should consider manufacturing as a step in the right direction.

Lots of opportunity

You might be of the opinion that manufacturing jobs are on the decline. While automation and outsourcing are definitely decreasing places, that doesn’t mean that there’s a shortage of work to be done. Nowadays, the job opportunities are a lot more easily found if you have the right skills for the role beforehand. For instance, plastic injection molding plays a big part in a lot of products, nowadays. Getting those kinds of skills can still make you an asset on the factory floor and a much more qualified one, too.

It’s just for on-the-floor jobs

Of course, that’s not to say that the manufacturing industry is only for people who want to work their way up from the floor. Taking a look at some of the highest paid jobs in the industry, it’s easy to see that. For instance, there’s a lot of room for people with skills in IT, with information technology managers playing a pivotal role in modern manufacturing businesses. Management, human resources and administration all have key roles to play as well. You can come in with your own set of skills, but that doesn’t mean you should stop there.

Learn the skills of technical expertise

Working in a manufacturing environment can give you the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with technical aspects that are used in all other sorts of industries. You could be learning about using lathes, 3D printers or working with equipment like wedge jacks. These technical skills and experience can then be used in all other sorts of industries. From the automotive businesses to even getting work in construction. Getting hands-on in manufacturing gives you experience that’s a lot more useful for just working on the factory floor.

The strategic skills are just as valuable

If you’ve looked in manufacturing or worked in it, then you might have an idea of how important Lean principles are. These are all about keeping the business as efficient and productive as possible. But those principles don’t just apply to manufacturing, either. They can apply to all kinds of industries, even if it’s based entirely in the office. Business today is all about making a cleaner, more cost-effective and simpler process. The very essence of lean principles. Learning them isn’t just good for manufacturing, it’s good for becoming a strategist for any kind of business.

Regardless of your skillset, the manufacturing industry likely has a place for you. From there, you can go on to learn specific skills that can help you in all other sorts of industries, too. So the next time you see an opening in a manufacturing company, think more carefully about it.

This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.