Employers

There are approximately 186,500 manufacturing supervisors working all over the United States, but the majority of jobs are located in highly industrial areas. Whether it be in a small production facility or a large factory or plant, supervisors are needed to oversee all manufacturing processes. The major employment areas are industrial machinery and equipment, semiconductor and other electronic components, plastics products, transportation equipment, motor vehicle parts, computer and electronic products, metal instruments and related products, printing and related services, and food industries. A small number of these managers are self-employed.

Starting Out

Many supervisors enter their jobs by moving up from factory worker positions. They may also apply for supervisory positions from outside the company. Companies that hire manufacturing supervisors look for experience, knowledge of the job or industry, organizational skills, and leadership abilities. Supervisory positions may be found in classified ads, but for those just looking to get started, part-time or full-time jobs in a factory setting may help provide some experience and familiarity with the work of supervisors.

In most manufacturing companies, an advanced degree in business management or administration along with accumulated work experience is the best method for advancement into higher level supervisory positions. From the position of supervisor, one may advance to manager or head of an entire manufacturing plant or factory.

Read SCM NOW Magazine (http://www.apics.org/apics-for-individuals/apics-magazine-home) to learn more about the field.

Visit the following Web sites for job listings and career resources: https://asq.org/career and https://www.ascm.org/learning-development/career-resources.

Land an entry-level job at a manufacturing plant to learn about the field and make valuable industry contacts.

Join professional associations to access training and networking resources, industry publications, certification, and employment opportunities.