Entry-Level Careers in Manufacturing

Applied Engineering Technician
Applied engineering technicians assist engineers in creating systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or provide a service.

CAD Technician
CAD technicians use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings.

Facility Manager
Facilities managers are responsible for making sure that buildings and their services meet the needs of the people that work in them.

Forklift Operator
Forklift operators use machinery to transport materials and goods around a warehouse or job site.

Machine Operator
Machine operators set-up, operate, and maintain machinery, usually in a manufacturing setting.

Maintenance Helper
A maintenance helper helps mechanics in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment.

Maintenance Mechanic
Maintenance mechanics use lathes, milling machines, and grinders to maintain equipment in a manufacturing setting.

Packer/Packager
In a manufacturing setting, packers and packagers are responsible for packing or packaging by hand a wide variety of products and materials.

Production Helper
A production helper helps production workers by performing duties requiring less skill.

Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerk
Production, planning, and expediting clerks review, coordinate, and expedite distribution of materials needed for a project or department according to production or shipment schedules.

QC Inspector/Tester
QC inspector/testers assist QA/QC teams to ensure the quality control process design results in continuous production of products consistent with established standards.

Shipping & Receiving Clerk
A shipping and receiving clerk verifies and maintains records on incoming and outgoing shipments, and prepares items for shipment.

Team Assembler
A team assembler works as part of a team having responsibility for assembling an entire product or component of a product.