Modern Manufacturing Processes Require Well-Trained Employees

from the 'Focus On Manufacturing' Feature in the Career Outlook section of the Philadelphia Inquirer
August 5, 2007

Manufacturing can be a promising choice of careers, but most people's mental image of this type of work is terribly out of date.

"When you think of factories, you think of an Industrial Revolution-type environment with noise and dirt and chimneys belching smoke. All of that is gone," says Joe Houldin, CEO of Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center. "What we have here today in this region is lots of companies manufacturing in a very different way that requires a very different type of employee than in the past."

A general shift away from high-volume manufacturing has meant that local factories are making highly-specialized, customized products in smaller numbers. An example is New Way Air Bearings, an Aston-based company that produces bearings used in the manufacture of semiconductors, flat-panel TVs and optical inspection devices. Its products are exported around the globe.

New Way machinist A.J. Rabassa says his shop is quite the opposite of the smoke-belching, dystopian stereotype. "It's very clean and well-lit, with rows of machines but plenty of open space."

Perhaps the biggest difference in manufacturing today is that there is more job security than in earlier eras. Though the Bureau of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that machinist jobs are expected to grow more slowly than average through 2014, the number of jobs vacated by retirement among the Baby Boomer generation will continue to create solid opportunities for new machinists.

"In this area we have a large base of companies and in my view we are well positioned for a great future," says Houldin. "There will simply not be enough employees for the jobs, and the most talented and educated employees will be able to pick and choose where they work."

To break into manufacturing, candidates should have some formal training. "In the 1930s and 1940s, you just needed a strong back, but companies these days are placing a bigger premium on education," Houldin says.

High school and vocational programs with apprenticeships can provide experience, though some employers are looking for at least an associate's degree in applied engineering along with high levels of math and science competency.

Many people choose to round out a degree or training program with certificates that will make them more desirable in the job marketplace and it is common, Houldin says, for companies to cover tuition for employees' ongoing education.

Rabassa initially studied computer science but found it less fulfilling than using the lathe in his father's garage. So he decided to enroll in Delaware Technical Community College's mechanical engineering program where he is working toward his second bachelor's degree.

Generally, Houldin says, the kind of person drawn to manufacturing is someone who, like Rabassa, really likes to make things. "This is someone who doesn't necessarily want to work in an office and sit at a desk," says Houldin.

Machinists need to have an inclination for problem solving, enjoy working on a team and possess strong critical thinking skills. "Machinists should also have a general confidence in working with their hands," says Rabassa. "If you're someone who goes to replace a kitchen sink valve and fails, you probably won't be good at this work,"

Because the range of jobs and products varies so much, Rabassa says that just about any personality type can find a niche in manufacturing. A more patient person, for instance, might be more comfortable with higher-precision work.

On an average shift, Rabassa uses non-computerized machines to create metal parts but he also occasionally programs robotic cutting equipment. He's on his feet most of the day and his shifts are generally 9a.m. to 5 p.m., though he says they are somewhat flexible, which is an advantage.

According to the Bureau of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median hourly earnings for machinists in 2004 was $16.33 with the top 10 percent making more than $24.43. An experienced machinist might advance to computer numerically controlled (CNC) programmer, mold maker, tool and die maker or a supervisory or management position.

Rabassa hopes to eventually transition into a hybrid engineer/machinist position and work with high-precision optics and laser mirrors. "Manufacturing is amazing. You start off with a block of metal, and you watch it become a finished product," he says. "You look at it and say, my elbow grease has created that -- and very few people these days can say that kind of thing."