Manufacturing is the industrial sector responsible for producing equipment, machinery, parts and products. There are many areas of manufacturing, including aerospace, apparel, automotive, chemical, electronics and food. Engineering is a vital part of the manufacturing process. Engineers are involved in the research, development, design and production stages of manufacturing.
With thousands of jobs available in a variety of fields, the engineering and manufacturing industries are viable sources of employment. The process of manufacturing requires workers to perform tasks such as assembly, machine operation, management, quality control and welding. With engineering being such a vital part of manufacturing, let’s start with the career choices it holds.
There are many branches of engineering, including:
Aerospace engineering, which deals with aircraft and space technology.
Automotive engineering, which deals with vehicles and their systems.
Chemical engineering, which deals with converting natural resources into products.
Electrical, electronic, power and telecommunications engineering, which includes computer systems, communication networks and nuclear power.
Production engineering, which covers factory systems, including automated machinery.
Marine Engineering, which deals with offshore platforms, ships and other structures and the equipment installed in them.
Mechanical engineering, which involves designing components, machines and systems that involve the conversion and use of mechanical energy.
Oil and gas engineering, which deals with the exploration of production of oil and gas.
Renewable energy engineering, which involves the production of energy through natural resources such as wind, solar and wave power and the production of bio-fuel from crops.
Around 1.5 million people work in engineering-related jobs in the UK and the sector is currently undergoing and massive transformation as it comes to terms with global economy changes and some of the low cost advantages of developing countries. However, engineering is central to all developing technologies and people with the right skills will always be in demand.
Other jobs in the engineering and manufacturing industries are available in either industry and are not necessarily exclusive.
Assembly workers are vital to the manufacturing sector. The process of using an assembly line to place parts together into a finished product is one of the most important parts in manufacturing. Many of these jobs require little skill and can offer training on-the-job.
Machinists are commonly found in both sectors and operate specialized equipment to manufacture metal parts to create products. They work from technical drawings to correctly build the parts.
Management oversee the entire process, improving efficiency and ensuring the process adheres to budget. They also have the responsibility to ensure that all manufacturing deadlines are met.
Specialists who perform quality control inspect products to ensure that they function properly and are free from defects. Quality control takes place at the end of manufacturing as well as during various points in the process.
Tags: engineering, manufacturing