The manufacturing sector employs more than 2.7 million people across various industries. There are many opportunities to work in private and public companies covering manufacturing management, manufacturing engineering jobs, and technician roles for manufacturing companies.

Jobs are wide-ranging and include process engineering, manufacturing technician, and safety and inspection roles to mechanical engineers and facilities management. 

Large manufacturing companies regularly recruit graduates to work in roles across the business, including HR, IT, sales, marketing, communications, finance, and procurement.

Core responsibilities in manufacturing

Core responsibilities will vary depending on the part of the manufacturing process you are involved in and which sector you choose. You may be responsible for designing new products and the manufacturing processes required to make them. 

Manufacturing management roles will require you to oversee the plant as a whole and will require people management. Other functions may include sales of the finished products, working within the manufacturing plant’s office environment, or being responsible for the safety or maintaining machinery.

Average manufacturing salary

The average salary in the manufacturing sector varies depending on the size of the company you work for, your experience, and your job role. A manufacturing technician can earn around £26,000, and this will increase as you gain more experience or choose a specialised field.

Manufacturing manager jobs earn £48,000 and working for a large manufacturing plant will give you earnings that are significantly higher.

What to expect from a career in manufacturing

You will most likely be spending your time in a factory or warehouse environment. You might be positioned in an office if you choose to go into management or HR. This can be a job with strict deadlines and high workloads, so you will need the drive to meet targets and work hard to achieve them.

Long working hours can also include night shifts and weekend hours. You may be responsible for many people and may be required to work across multiple sites.

Core manufacturing skills

Your core skills will include the ability to work to tight deadlines and have excellent problem-solving skills to keep everything running. You should be highly-adaptable and be ready for the fast-paced and hard work involved in manufacturing.

Many companies offer manufacturing graduate jobs, or you can start at an entry-level and train further within the job.

A variety of jobs in manufacturing are available, and these suit a whole range of skills. A manufacturing career has a lot to offer, so it’s an excellent choice for anyone.