A variety of Opportunities industry in which you have peak seasons,” New, more efficient technologies are the
The careers that are essential for making he says. “Our peak seasons revolve around logical response to the constant pressure to
such products include engineering and the school year, and the other times you’re produce more. “Manufacturing is extremely
design positions, production-line jobs, lucky if you can pay the electric bills. There fast-paced,” says Hansen. “There’s always a
research positions, and jobs operating are some engraving stores that actually close need for innovation.”
industrial robots, machines, and computers. in the summer.” The desire to innovate and create
There are also careers you might not Whether you’re interested in working is what draws certain kinds of students
think of, such as those held by safety experts for a small company or for a large to manufacturing careers.
who inspect factories. Factory employees manufacturing corporation, a common “What we find is that there are students
may specialize in fabric and apparel, metals, thread of life in manufacturing is learning who really like taking metal or ceramic
wood, electromechanical production, new skills every day. John Hansen, who material and orchestrating the finishing
engraving, and even food production. worked in the field as a researcher and of that into a product,” says Hansen.
now directs the Ingenuity Center at the “There are individuals who enjoy the
risk and Change University of Texas at Tyler, says this aspect element of controlling and changing
Some entrepreneurs, like Dennis, start their appeals to people who like constant change their environment.”
own businesses. “Learning how to operate and new challenges.
a business and work for yourself is the best “There are advances in manufacturing
thing about engraving,” he says. “Most and science, and new technologies are
engraving companies are small. We do introduced all the time,” he says. “So it
about $150,000 a year in sales.” requires somebody who is interested in
Dennis points out that while such small learning new skills, not someone who
enterprises offer a lot of freedom, they come will just learn a job and keep doing it
with some risks. “It’s kind of like the retail for 30 years.”
5
Cool Careers
cHeck ouT THese excITIng careers In manufacTurIng.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
ROBOTiCS DESiGNER COmPUTER PRECiSiON mAChiNiST AUTOmATiON TEChNiCiAN BiOTEChNOLOGy
robotics are increasingly being PROGRAmmER manufacturing means creating someone has to build, install, and ENGiNEER
used in manufacturing to make In manufacturing today, many whole products from sets of maintain the increasing numbers engineers in biotechnology
production run more efficiently. industries that once depended parts. precision machinists are of computerized systems used work with companies in the
and, though in some ways robots on factory-line workers to cut responsible for creating the in modern manufacturing. field to design a variety of
take the place of human hands, and assemble parts now rely on parts that make up the whole. students who love computers cutting-edge manufacturing
manufacturing companies computer-aided manufacturing, To do their job, machinists must and are good at analyzing and processes. biotechnology uses
still need experts to design or cam. cam plays a growing work from extremely specific solving problems are finding living cells to create useful
robots and ensure that they run role in the manufacture of blueprints drawn up using rewarding careers as automation products, including new drugs,
properly. new trends in robotics cars, textiles, plastics, metals, cad (computer-aided design) technicians. communication new drought-resistant strains
include voice interactive robots and other goods. In these or cam (computer-assisted skills are also important; these of crops, or ethanol for fuel.
and robotic efficiency to save industries, custom programs manufacturing) programs. often technicians work with engineers, biotechnology engineers need
energy (robots can work faster are designed by computer they must program computer designers, and business clients to a thorough grounding in biology
and with less waste of materials experts with the ability to numerically controlled (cnc) set up and maintain systems that and chemistry to manufacture
than traditional machinery with understand the requirements of devices to actually machine the will perform as expected around these innovative products.
human operators). the manufacturing process and parts from steel, bronze, graphite, the clock. automation technicians
streamline it through automation. plastic, or other materials. must be able follow engineering
as manufacturing enters the specifications to the letter and
21st century, skilled precision react quickly to problems as
machinists are in high demand. they arise.
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