Become an Apprentice

First-Line Supervisors are the first level of company employee directly above non-managerial workers. They generally supervise production and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators and plant and system operators. They need skills in the areas of leadership, human relations, communication and quality.

Job Functions
The first-line supervisor is responsible for supervising the line employees’ work quality, productivity and attendance, for maintaining a full roster ensuring that all line positions are manned and operated. In the event that an employee is absent the first-line supervisor must have a contingency plan in place for ensuring shift coverage. In many situations they will cover the vacant position. Making sure the line operates without incident or down time is the most important responsibility of the first-line supervisor. They are also responsible for the line employees’ work and production levels. This requires the supervisor to monitor and asses the lines production quality. Training and mentoring helps ensure the quality of the lines product. They are required to assist in all process improvement projects and line enhancements that are completed by management. The supervisor is responsible for providing all of the technical process data involved in these programs.

Salary Outlook: $47,000 to $60,000, But it Varies Among Industry

Job Fields in First-line Supervisor:

• Manufacturing
• Packaging
• Warehousing
• Production
• Retail
• Events
• Sales
• Customer
• Service

Industrial maintenance is a growing field with a high demand. All manufacturing companies require someone to maintain the equipment on the shop floor in order to reduce downtime. Maintenance technicians need a wide range of skills from electrical and hydraulic to welding and precision machining and everything in between.

Job Functions

Industrial maintenance mechanics perform essential functions in manufacturing. They build, test, repair, adjust, train, and troubleshoot technical systems including turning and grinding machines, milling, drilling, CNC, lathes and more. This field has high demand, pays well and has excellent growth opportunities.

Salary Outlook: $27,309 to $71,810

Job Titles in Industrial Maintenance:

• Maintenance Supervisor
• Maintenance Technician
• Industrial Engineering Technician
• Mechanical Engineer
• Heavy Equipment Mechanic

CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) precision machining is a growing field requiring specific skills in working with metal. Precision machining creates very precise parts from various metals that will need to fit into other larger machines or products. This skill involves accuracy, measurements, math, some programming, ability to read schematics and understand what part is being created.

Job Functions

CNC operators perform essential functions in manufacturing. They set up, operate or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod or bar stock. This field has high demand, pays well and has excellent growth opportunities.

Salary Outlook: $25,360 to $71,810

Job Titles in CNC Precision Machining

• CNC Operator
• Production Worker
• Machinist
• Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setter / Operator
• Engine and Other Machine Assembler
• Electronics Engineering Technician

Welding uses the application of heat to permanently join metal parts for repair, or to fabricate metal structures, machinery and equipment. Welding positions are classified depending on the training and types of welding machines that a welder can use. Skilled welders have experience using multiple welding machines including the arc welder, TIG (tungsten inert gas) welder and MIG (metal inert gas) welder.

Common skills and abilities needed for welding include good eyesight, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity and stamina, multi limb coordination, ability to concentrate on detailed work, read drawings and prints and adhere to safety standards.

Job Functions
Welders fabricate and assemble structures and equipment with welders, cutters, shapers and measuring tools. Welders produce metal products according to customer or employer specifications. They use multiple welding machines to repair and maintain metal equipment and structures of various sizes. Welders read and interpret diagrams, sketches and blueprints to determine operations, required materials and timeframes for projects.

Welders set up, operate and maintain welding equipment. They understand and implement personal and company safety measures by wearing specialized goggles, helmets and gloves. Communication skills are essential to work with team members and converse with customers and clients.

Salary Outlook: $28,046 to $56,866

Job Fields in Welding:

• Automotive
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Ship Building
• Industrial Maintenance and Repair

Construction managers oversee residential or commercial construction and remodeling projects.  They have regular communications with clients, employees and subcontractors.  They have up to date understandings of the budget and time line and communicate any discrepancies to the client.  They collaborate with other leads on the project such as engineers, architects or regulation personnel.  Essential skills include communications, team management, decision –making and organizational skills.

Job Functions
Construction managers manage the jobsite, create schedules for construction crews and ensure all projects are fully staffed, hire full-time and temporary laborers, create and manage budgets, secure supplies, materials and labor, oversee subcontractors and vendors, pursue continuing education in green building practices, ensure safety guidelines are followed, and respond to possible emergencies.

Salary Outlook: $39,000 to $90,000

A Truck Driver, or Transporter, is responsible for transporting goods from one location to another. Their job duties include loading their vehicles, abiding by traffic laws and ensuring safe unloading and delivery at their destination.

Some drivers deliver the same goods to the same places daily and other deliver a variety of goods to a variety of places. Common duties include long-distance driving, communicating and coordinating with dispatchers, obeying and following applicable traffic laws, securing cargo and properly arranging and balancing it within the vehicle, maintaining a detailed log of work hours in compliance with state and federal regulations and doing a pre-check to ensure any mechanical issues with the vehicle are corrected before driving.

A Facilities Manager, or Maintenance Manager, maintains and oversees a company’s grounds, buildings and equipment to ensure that a workspace is safe and functional. Their duties include negotiating contracts with service providers, inspecting facilities to meet safety regulations and coordinating renovations and updates.

Common duties include Delegating cleaning and maintenance tasks to team members, monitoring the safety and cleanliness of interior and exterior areas, such as offices, conference rooms, parking lots and outdoor recreation spaces, performing routine maintenance on facilities and making repairs as needed, scheduling routine inspections and emergency repairs with outside vendors, ensuring proper security measures for the workplace, including collaborating with security system vendors or a team of security professionals, maintaining day-to-day operations of facilities, such as delegating or completing maintenance orders, creating reports on maintenance, repairs, safety and other occurrences for supervisors and other relevant staff, preparing facilities for changing weather conditions and collaborating with building owners and upper management on budgeting for facilities needs

Industrial maintenance is a growing field with a high demand. All manufacturing companies require someone to maintain the equipment on the shop floor in order to reduce downtime. Maintenance technicians need a wide range of skills from electrical and hydraulic to welding and precision machining and everything in between.

Job Functions

Industrial maintenance mechanics perform essential functions in manufacturing. They build, test, repair, adjust, train, and troubleshoot technical systems including turning and grinding machines, milling, drilling, CNC, lathes and more. This field has high demand, pays well and has excellent growth opportunities.

Salary Outlook: $27,309 to $71,810

Job Titles in Industrial Maintenance:

• Maintenance Supervisor
• Maintenance Technician
• Industrial Engineering Technician
• Mechanical Engineer
• Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Robotics technicians help design, test, install, maintain, troubleshoot, and fix robots and automation control systems. … Some robotics technicians work with engineers and designers to assemble robots and test them. They help to develop the computer programs that control the robot and direct them to do tasks.

A Millwright completes a variety of tasks throughout the day that involves the assembly, disassembly and movement of machinery.

Common duties include installing and disassembling machinery, making repairs or adjustments to machinery, reading and implementing instructions on assembling machinery, moving machinery or parts, communicating information regarding the status of assigned tasks.

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