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What's it like to work in a machine shop today? This might be a question that your children, younger siblings or friends, nephews, or even nieces might be asking you. In case you are asking it yourself, let's look at some answers on how you can promote the industry and possibly provide a very bright future for a member of your family.
First, you want to match the person's interest with the job. A student good with math may be well suited for a job as a quality control professional using statistics and SPC analysis or possibly using a coordinate measuring machine from Zeiss metrology that we sell. That special person that likes to take things apart and put it back together might be suited for a maintenance technician or assembly position. We have fields in robotics and software design for the "high tech" minds. Many shops in our area have positions for the handicapped because of the latest control technology on our machines today.
A question many people ask is, "how much money can one make?" It depends on the job classification. A typical machinist in the St. Louis area, with no experience may start at $10 to $12 per hour and an experienced, well trained person that can set up and operate a CNC machine will average a similar wage to a plumber, car mechanic, or electrician. There are many other job fields inside our metal working industry such as CAD /CAM operators (computer aided drafting and computer aided manufacturing) that are the designers and programmers of our industry. These people often program and process the workpieces that our CNC machines will cut. It is not uncommon for an experienced tool and die designer to make $80k per year or more.
The manufacturing shop gives a person a great environment to create ideas and build it, to work independently, work with your hands, and to learn something new every day. It is very satisfying to see a metal object or assembly that you made at the end of the day.
The myth that manufacturing in this country is a dying industry will only be validated if we don't support it. Manufacturing in America is strong and continues to be the backbone of our economic engine. Our industry is one that provides a steady income and good benefits, that can provide a challenging career with market flexibility, good working environments with most shops being air-conditioned, and one that most often offers high technology innovations and creates inventions. Together, we can motivate our youth and those wanting to change careers into the world of manufacturing. It can be a good thing for all of us, and we can make a difference. |
