Where the Manufacturing Sector is Hiring

The global manufacturing industry has continued to see growth as a whole, but what are the best places you can look to find a job in this fast paced market?

When examining where the manufacturing jobs are, we have to consider the current state of the US economy and the global product market. Oil prices are down, which means that automotive manufacturers are making larger, more expensive and less fuel efficient vehicles for consumers. With global warming becoming an increasingly important issue, while we will still see minor growth in the mining and drilling industries, it is expected that growth will not be steady in the next couple of years. Due to the emergence of cheap foreign metals, mainly from China, we are seeing a decline in metal manufacturing here in the states. Beyond the industrial manufacturing sector, the construction manufacturing industries are expected to see steady growth over the next few years due to the relatively stagnant growth seen in the past few years. At the forefront of manufacturing growth currently stands the global push for technological growth.

All things considered, we can focus in on these industries for manufacturing growth: industrial and residential construction, automotive manufacturing, and electronics production.

So, if you want to find a secure job in the manufacturing sector in the next couple of years, somewhere in the niches of these industries will likely be best. Let’s look first at the manufacturing construction industry. Estimates place housing construction growth at a steady 10%, 16%, and 6% growth rate from 2016 to 2018 respectively. New home sales are steadily growing as the US continues its economic growth and recovery from 2008. The same statistics can be correlated to industrial construction growth as the US manufacturing sector continues to grow. This means jobs in processes manufacturing, materials manufacturing, and other various components industries directly related to construction products.

Automotive growth in the US is currently projected to grow steadily in the next three years at rates around 5%. Looking back at early 2016, the industry saw production up 5% across all automotive sectors. As a manufacturer or engineer, this means good things for job prospects. The major US based automotive companies will see an increase in demand for designs, manufacturers, and otherwise engineers related to the sector. With the decrease in gas prices, we are seeing a growth in large expensive truck production, which means a higher influx of money to the industry. This also means that US based shipping will be cheaper, which affects nearly every manufacturing market, including the automotive sector.

Lastly, the electronics manufacturing industry is perhaps the broadest of all of the industrial growth we are seeing. Electronics spans anywhere from kitchen appliances to microprocessors. All aspects of this market are expected to grow, but at different rates, however, this ultimately means job growth. Foreign electronics offer up sharp competition to the American electronics manufacturing industry, which may make some markets slightly more volatile directly related to the manufacturing of products. However, US based engineers and electronics designers are expected to grow market demand, meaning good things for the higher levels of this manufacturing market. The biggest thing to note in the broader spectrum of electronics manufacturing is the sheer diversity of available jobs and various growth rates. With this considered, when looking for a job in this manufacturing sector, consider looking to a variety of industries rather than focusing on specific products.

As a whole, the manufacturing industry is predicted to continue growing and provide a wealth of jobs to the American market. Much of the industry is the groundwork for the American economy, so this means good things for the overall health of the country. While we surveyed three broad markets here, this isn’t to say that there isn’t expected growth or jobs in other manufacturing industries. As a manufacturing engineer, product design, industrial worker, you have options in where you want to go.

Data and analytics provided by the Manufacturer’s Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI).

Sources:

MAPI