Six Reasons to Consider a Career in Manufacturing

For many young people starting careers, knowing exactly what you want to do or which roles align with your skillsets can be challenging, particularly when it comes to unfamiliar industries.

For example, manufacturing has a perception of being dirty, dangerous and comprised of a low-skilled workforce. Across the industry, leaders and recruiters are trying to change that stigma by inviting students, and even their parents, to see how the profession has changed over the decades.

“When I was young, my dad worked in a meat processing plant and my mom worked in a factory cutting cushions for furniture;” said Tim Averkamp, Group President for Astec. “The factories they worked in are much different than they are today. Factories are technologically advanced, safe, clean, and modern engineering has made the work easier. We ask for our employees’ ideas and input to drive improvement in our operations.”

Here are six reasons to consider a career in manufacturing:

Good pay and benefits. According to NAM, manufacturing employees in the U.S. earned more than $92,000 on average in pay and benefits in 2020. For entry-level positions, the average production worker makes $3 more per hour than the average cashier. 

Avoid debt. The cost of going to a four-year college continues to rise. New graduates, on average, leave school with $28,950 in debt. That’s a financial burden not everyone is capable of taking on. If you’re graduating from high school, you can start a career in manufacturing that keeps you debt-free and lets you start saving for retirement sooner.

Open positions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 834,000 manufacturing job openings in July 2022. There is so much work to be done that 4 million new jobs will likely be needed over the next decade, and candidates with a variety of skillsets will be in high demand.

From machine operators and inside sales reps to welders and electrical design technicians, Astec is recruiting people to help it meet a record-breaking backlog of customer orders.

“Machine operators are needed across the industry, but we’re also looking for people with more defined skillsets, such as Electrical Design Technicians,” said Steven Laing, HR manager for Astec. “Each asphalt plant we sell is custom built, and Electrical Design Techs design how the electrical system for each plant will be installed.” 

Tangible results. Are you a creator? Do you like to tinker? Do you enjoy working with your hands? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, a career in manufacturing might be right for you.

For Rashad Buchanan, Lead, Carlson Paver Unit at Astec, he enjoys seeing the results of his hard work. “When I’m out driving and I see one of our machines on the road, I feel an immediate sense of pride,” he said. “I know what it took to produce that product. I know the man hours we put in. I know who built the product, and it was built right.”

Career growth. Manufacturers are looking for candidates who are not only capable of doing the job they’re applying for but are also cultural fits and can grow professionally with the company.  

“Astec employs thousands of team members across the globe, and we’re focused on helping our employees grow and develop their careers with us,” Averkamp said. “Entry-level machine operators can advance to shift manager roles or into other leadership positions. We also invest in on-the-job training and provide opportunities for Astec employees to develop a more specialized skillset, welding for instance, so they can transition into higher-paying jobs.”

It's safe. The factories of today are very different from those of previous decades. Manufacturers take the health and safety of their employees seriously. At Astec, employees work in a safe and welcoming environment where they are empowered to ask questions and make suggestions for improvements.

“Safety is our first core value, and we regularly invest in training, personal protective equipment, and technology to continuously improve our safety programs and ‘Strive for Zero Harm,’” said Cody Buell, director of Environmental, Health and Safety for Astec.

Whether you’re just beginning your career journey or are an experienced professional, these examples make a strong case for working in the manufacturing industry.  

For job openings at Astec, take a look at our Careers page.