Manufacturing Production Technicians

Career summary

Manufacturing production technicians are supervised by production managers and manufacturing engineers. They assist managers in developing, building, and testing new processes for manufacturing.

They install new equipment and make sure it is set up according to standards and that standard operating procedures are followed. Production technicians make sure that all health, safety, and environmental regulations are followed.

After equipment is set up, technicians calibrate and adjust the equipment so that it runs efficiently and safely.

Technicians provide training to other technicians on how to use equipment. They write production documents such as standard operating procedures. They make sure workers meet production quotas.

Production technicians inspect finished products to make sure they meet quality standards. They also ensure the production line follows the rules for safety and environmental impact. They may write inventory and productivity reports. They also keep manufacturing batch records.

When needed, technicians move equipment or set up new machines.

Related careers

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Aircraft Mechanics
• Computer, ATM, and Office Machine Repairers
• Engineering Technicians
• Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
• Industrial Electronics Repairers
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics
• Manufacturing Engineering Technologists
• Manufacturing Engineers
• Medical Equipment Repairers
• Numerical Control Machine Operators
• Numerical Control Tool Programmers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to manufacturing production technicians.

• Follow all regulations, policies, and procedures for health, safety, and environmental compliance.
• Check finished products for quality and if they match customer specifications.
• Set up and use production equipment.
• Calibrate and adjust equipment to ensure quality, using tools such as calipers, micrometers, height gauges, protractors, and ring gauges.
• Set up safety equipment, making sure it works properly.
• Check and adjust production processes or equipment for quality and productivity.
• Check the production line to make sure it meets standards for safety and impact on the environment.
• Test products or subassemblies for functionality or quality.
• Plan and lay out work to meet production and schedule requirements.
• Start up and shut down processing equipment.
• Prepare waste for recycling or disposal. Follow rules for safe disposal of toxic waste.
• Collect and separate scrap materials for recycling or reuse.

Common work activities

Manufacturing production technicians perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Get information needed to do the job
• Use computers
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Control machines and processes
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Repair and maintain mechanical equipment
• Document and record information
• Evaluate information against standards
• Think creatively
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Process information
• Provide information or drawings about devices, equipment, or structures
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Analyze data or information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Schedule work and activities
• Teach others
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Coach others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Handle and move objects
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Repair and maintain electronic equipment
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Develop goals and strategies

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, manufacturing production technicians:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a medium level of social interaction.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of others workers.
• Communicate mostly by talking to others in person. They also write e-mail and use the telephone on a regular basis.
• Often work as part of a project team.
• Occasionally write letters and memos.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by others.
• Occasionally are placed in conflict situations.

Physical work conditions

• Wear safety attire or protective gear on a daily basis.
• Usually work indoors. These sites may not be temperature-controlled.
• Are often exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels.
• Are exposed to hazardous equipment on a weekly basis.
• Are sometimes exposed to contaminants.
• May share work space with others.

Work performance

• Must be very exact and accurate when performing the job. Slowing down the production line costs money.
• Usually consult a supervisor before making a decision or setting daily tasks and goals. Their decisions impact their employer's reputation and the work done by other employees.
• Must meet strict weekly deadlines. This may make the work environment somewhat competitive.
• Must match the pace of work to the speed of equipment.
• Repeat the same physical and mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Usually work a standard 40-hour work week, but overtime may be necessary to meet deadlines or quotas.
• Shift work may be common.

Physical demands

Manufacturing production technicians frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for manufacturing production technicians to be able to:

• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for manufacturing production technicians to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

Skills and abilities

Manufacturing production technicians need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Understand written information.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Work with things

• Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Maintain equipment on a routine basis. Determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
• Operate and control equipment.
• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
• Determine the causes of technical problems and find solutions for them.
• Repair machines or systems.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.
• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Manufacturing Technology

Other programs of study to consider

• Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology
• Electromechanical Engineering Technology
• Engineering Technology, General
• Industrial Technology

Training

To work as a manufacturing production technician, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• have a certificate in manufacturing production technology or a related field.

Education after high school

Most people prepare for this occupation by getting a one-year certificate in manufacturing production after high school. Many community colleges and vocational schools offer one-year programs in this field. Some also offer associate degrees in this or a related field, such as industrial engineering technology.

It is important to verify the kind and quality of manufacturing production programs. Carefully select your program. Make sure the school has the type of training you want, up-to-date equipment, and qualified instructors. Check with employers to see which schools they prefer. Ask the schools for the names of employers where they have placed graduates.

Training programs approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) meet standards set by the industry. Graduating from an ABET accredited program can give you an advantage with employers.

Pre-engineering programs are not the same as technician programs. Pre-engineering programs stress classroom theory. In contrast, manufacturing production programs stress hands-on training.

Work experience

Working in jobs that give you practical experience is good background for this occupation. For instance, repairing, installing, or assembling devices and equipment is good experience for manufacturing production technician jobs.

On-the-job training

As a new technician, you perform routine tasks while closely supervised by an experienced technician or engineer. As you gain experience, you work on tasks that are more difficult. Training may last a month up to a year.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements . Manufacturing production technicians use advanced math. Try to take math through Trigonometry.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Algebra
• Computer Fundamentals
• Electronics
• Equipment Maintenance and Repair
• Industrial Safety and First Aid
• Manufacturing Systems

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers look for manufacturing production technicians who have a certificate in manufacturing production. Employers also seek applicants with strong technical and mechanical skills. Good communication skills are very important because technicians work with engineers and other team members. An interest in math and science is also important. Previous experience in a manufacturing setting is attractive to employers.

Costs to workers

Some workers may wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues. Workers who become union members pay an initiation fee and annual dues.

Licensing/certification

Certification is optional for Manufacturing Production Technicians.

The Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC)  offers a credential as a Certified Production Technician (CPT).

#Checked link 11/29/16, 4/10/19 cj.

Wages

Currently, there is no specific statewide wage information available for manufacturing production technicians. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other engineering technicians (except drafters)."

Pay varies with the worker's level of education, responsibility, and experience. Those who work in manufacturing may belong to a union. When they work overtime or on holidays, they are usually paid more than their usual wage.

Full-time technicians generally receive benefits. Typical benefits are health insurance, a retirement plan, sick leave, and paid vacation. Some companies provide money for continuing education classes.

National wage information is not available specifically for manufacturing production technicians. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other engineering technicians."

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

#Currently, there is no specific statewide outlook information available for manufacturing production technicians. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other engineering technicians (except drafters).”

#Added statement about being part of larger group & set outlook table for SOC 17-3029 in IA database to display on website, 3/2/15 cj.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Aerospace product and parts manufacturers
• Federal, state, and local government agencies
• Motor vehicle parts manufacturers
• Navigational and measuring instrument manufacturers
• Semiconductor and parts manufacturers

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is expected to be slower than average. Advances in technology such as computer-aided design and computer simulation are allowing technicians to be more productive. However, technicians will be needed to improve and update manufacturing facilities and product designs. Demand will also occur as the green sector of the economy demands new environmentally friendly products and more efficient manufacturing.

Job prospects will be best for those with formal training and experience.

Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for manufacturing production technicians. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other engineering technicians."

Other resources

Association for Manufacturing Technology 
7901 Westpark Drive
McLean, VA 22102
800.524.0475
703.893.2900

BLS Career Outlook 2018 
You're a what? Robotics Technician

Engineer Girl! 
National Academy of Engineering

Manufacturing Skill Standards Council 
901 N Washington St. Suite 600
Alexandria, VA 22314

MCMA: Motion Control and Motor Association 
900 Victors Way, Suite 140
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734.494.6088

National Tooling & Machining Association 
1357 Rockside Road
Cleveland, OH 44134
800.248.6862

Precision Metalforming Association 
6363 Oak Tree Boulevard
Independence, OH 44131
216.901.8800

Technology Student Association 
1904 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1540
888.860.9010

The Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering 

Washington Business Week 
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

References

Career cluster

• Manufacturing

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Manufacturing Production Technicians (17-3029.09) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

DOT occupation

• Industrial Engineering Technician (012.267-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Investigative/Conventional