Guide To A Manufacturing Production Technician Career Path
In the manufacturing industry, every step of the production process is important. Factories and operations can only function effectively if everything runs smoothly; otherwise, products may not be completed or delivered on time. With this, the industry needs different people in various roles — one of which is the manufacturing production technician, also known as the production operator. Want to know what the career path of a manufacturing production technician looks like? Read on to learn more.
What does a manufacturing production technician do?
In a manufacturing plant, a production technician plays a role in the assembly line. Usually, they are assigned to perform a specific task in the production process. However, it is worth noting that many employees can hold the title of manufacturing production technician — each with different assignments. This is because the role of a production technician is vast and encompasses several tasks.
For example: In an assembly line, one production technician could be assigned to oversee a running machine. Meanwhile, another production technician can be responsible for quality control. Another can be in charge of maintaining equipment and upholding standard operating procedures; yet another could be the one looking after employees’ training and safety.
While specific assignments are generally the case for production technicians, every employee in this role are still expected to accomplish the following:
- Assemble products
- Make sure that there are no problems in their assigned place in the production line
- Manage pieces of machinery and repair them as needed
- Handle raw materials for manufacturing
- Maintain and repair equipment
- Check and test the quality of products before it is packed or released
- Review procedures, safety protocols, and records to make sure that the company continues to comply with industry standards
- Update the inventory
- Assist in addressing issues or problems encountered
Salary Range
The average salary of a production technician in Malaysia is RM 29,747 per year or RM10.27 per hour. According to Payscale, an entry-level position earns an average compensation of RM 24,142 per year. This includes overtime pay and bonuses.
On the other hand, a senior level position earns an average of RM 80,000 annually.
Payscale also notes that salary growth is more notable when in a mid-level position in this career. However, many factors can affect your salary, including specialised skills or experience in quality assurance or safety control.
What is the career path of a manufacturing production technician?
You can pursue different roles down the line if you begin your career as a production technician. Here are some of the options that you can consider:
Junior Level (1-3 years experience)
Mid Level (4-8 years experience)
Senior Level (8 years or more)
What requirements do you need to become a manufacturing production technician?
Required skills
Attention to detail
Working as a production technician requires alertness, especially when it comes to the smallest things. Since you work in a team, a mistake or lapse could mean that the rest of the production is affected. A keen eye helps minimise blunders that may affect the workflow of the team and the company. This is also important if you are tasked to check for quality standards in the position.
Analytical skills
As with any job, you will run into problems when working as a manufacturing production technician. You might run into machinery errors or obstacles in the assembly line. If you want to pursue the career path of a manufacturing production technician, it is important to have problem-solving and decision-making skills. With these, you will be able to find the safest and best solutions to address problems before the whole manufacturing team gets affected.
Dexterity and strength
Working in this career requires stamina as you may constantly be moving during your shift. Especially if you are assigned to an assembly line, you have to be physically able to manage your strength. Depending on the company’s work, you may also need to work with different schedules as needed. On top of this, it is also important to have strong and stable hands so you can easily handle materials as needed.
Communication skills
Working in a team means you need to be on the same page. Being open and able to explain things quickly and easily to your colleagues makes working as a team more efficient.
Familiarity with machinery
Depending on where you will be assigned to in the assembly line, you may need to have some knowledge in handling machinery. Employers may provide more specific training upon hiring.
Educational background
Junior level positions in the production technician career path will more often require that you finish secondary school. For some technical knowledge, you can choose to pursue a vocational course under the technical or vocational stream.
Some higher positions such as a production manager role may require that you have a university degree related to the job. Depending on the industry you are in, the degree may vary as needed. For example: If you are in a manufacturing company that specialises in producing construction materials, it may be a good idea to complete a degree in engineering. If the company is in the food business, perhaps a food technology degree might be best.
Opportunities for Continuous Education
As mentioned, aside from getting a university degree, you can further develop your soft skills as a production technician. If you want to progress up the career ladder of this job, it is important to know how to manage people. You can take up this FutureLearn course on People Management that is short enough to be completed in five weeks.
Since you will be talking to a lot of people on the job, developing your communication skills is also a good move. FutureLearn has a free course that trains communication and interpersonal skills at work, which may come in handy once you start dealing with difficult conversations at the workplace.
How do you write a manufacturing production technician resume?
Amir Tan (Contact Details) Career SummaryTwo years of experience working as a machinery operator in a company specialising in producing large laboratory equipment sold to hospitals and healthcare institutions. Previously worked in an assembly line for handling machinery repairs and maintenance. Work ExperienceProduction TechnicianXYZ Company (July 2019 – present)Handles the machinery in the production line for equipmentAssists in machinery repair and maintenance as neededMonitors machinery and updates supervisors for any concernsProduction operatorABC Company (May 2018 – June 2019)Repaired the machines used on the production floor as neededMaintained machinery to ensure that they are working without problemsKey SkillsFamiliarity in machinery repair and maintenanceStrong interpersonal skillsDetail-orientedKnowledgeable in manufacturing safety standardsEducationSecondary school degreeABC School, Malaysia (YEARS) |
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