It’s no argument that manufacturing is the backbone to the American economy. This year CNBC reported that manufacturing staffing has been “the most of any 12-month period since April 1995, when the figure added a healthy 345,000 positions.” The manufacturing industry alone has created about $6 trillion in gross output, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The most pivotal to this growth has been food, beverages and tobacco products ($1 trillion), motor vehicles and parts ($701 billion), and chemical products ($837 billion).
With the food and beverage industry, there has been an increase of 7 percent over the past five years (food) and 39 percent over the past five years (beverage). The transportation industry has seen a growth of 20 percent over the last five years. The machinery industry has seen a 5 percent increase over the past five years.
A manufacturing company looking for skilled and ready workers would be ignoring immeasurable opportunities if they bypass a staffing agency for their employees. In a nutshell, manufacturing staffing is a major strength for HR staffing firms throughout the United States.
But what are the most in-demand jobs in manufacturing for 2019? Here are a few picks.
Manufacturing Production Supervisor
For a while people have complained about robots and automation supposedly taking over the warehouse world, creating a so-called deficit in human manufacturing staffing. But the truth of the matter is, there will always be a need for human workers in every industry. One particular job position, though, that don’t have to worry about those issues are manufacturing supervisors.
A manufacturing supervisor’s job is to manage the whole pie, no matter what’s on the warehouse floor. These are the workers that run the day-to-day production of manufacturing operations, and because of this, it’s one of the most in-depth jobs. Some of a manufacturing supervisor’s responsibilities include maintaining quality control, monitoring any machinery or tech breakdowns and problems, onboarding, organizing and overseeing tasks, and of course supervising their team. Most supervisors are former production workers. It goes without saying that someone given this position has strong leadership skills.
Machine Operator
Also known as machinists, a machine operator sets up machinery and operate machinery. Anything dealing with machinery, a machine operator comes into the picture. This is one in-demand job that isn’t going to go away anytime soon, even with automation. Matter-of-fact, automation with the use of computers have made this job even more in-demand due to the fact that more workers are needed with computer skills.
Picker/Packer
A picker/packer is a worker whose job is to manage inventory and prepare it for shipment. This is one of the top manufacturing staffing positions most agencies provide. A lot of picker/packer positions are connected to the retail industry. A picker would pull the retail item from the shelf, and the packer would prepare it to be shipped.
For most of these jobs, the obvious is true: a manufacturing company’s best bet is to reach out to a reputable staffing agency to find the best workers they can.
