When young people think of a dream career, there probably aren’t too many that immediately think of getting into manufacturing.

However, while it may not sound like the most exciting industry to work in, manufacturing can offer a surprisingly rewarding and challenging career.

The problem is that when most people think of manufacturing they tend to think of lines of workers on an assembly line doing the same one task over and over again. However, there is more to manufacturing than this.

Have a look around you, look at the cars in the street, the clothes you are wearing, your mobile phone, and even the food that you eat – they are all manufactured. Perhaps it is the fact that we don’t tend to fix or repair items much these days, or maybe it is the fact that you can buy something with the click of a button online, but many of us seem slightly removed from the manufacturing process, even as we consume items that are created by it.

Just think of all the things that you own – how many of them could you have made yourself?

Manufacturing is behind the creation of everything from food to furnishings, and fast cars to pharmaceuticals, while also offering a variety of roles. Of course, there is the shop floor, where the actual physical items are made. With many of today’s factory processes being done by machines, people are required to maintain, program, and monitor the equipment and the production.

However, there are also other roles in the manufacturing industry that you may not have thought of – from quality assurance managers, accountants, and those who make sure there are adequate supplies to keep the factories running. Manufacture also includes other skills such as design and ensuring that the processes for manufacture are efficient.

As industries go, modern manufacturing is surprisingly robust in the face of economic troubles, as there is always a demand for new items of some form or another. This makes it a good industry to work in, while entry levels for school leavers, apprentices, and graduates mean there is plenty of variety across the industry.

The industry may be about more than you imagined and you can find out more about working in manufacturing here.

Also, see here for some current openings in manufacturing .