Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the process of transforming base components into other commercial and industrial products. It is a huge and diverse sector, consisting of a wide variety of industries. Manufacturing includes machinery and equipment production, the making of food, beverages and tobacco products, and printing, publishing and recorded media. It also includes chemical and pharmaceutical production, the making of paper and packaging products and building materials and the automotive industry.

The work

Manufacturing has a relatively low concentration of employees with degrees. However, the sheer size of the sector means that it is still a significant employer of graduates from certain disciplines, particularly Engineering, Information Technology, Industrial Design, and Accountancy.

In recent years, Australian and New Zealand manufacturing has moved into the production and export of so-called ‘elaborately transformed manufactures’ (ETMs), partly because of increased competition from overseas producers in labour-intensive manufacturing industries, such as textiles, clothing and footwear, and also because of the higher value and profits associated with more sophisticated products. The ETMs sector includes medical, telecommunications, office and electronic equipment, along with complex, industry-specific machinery.

This shift towards complex products requires skilled workers in all facets of the manufacturing process, including design, production, engineering, information technology and management.

Graduates interested in working in this industry should consider the following lifestyle factors:

  • While financial remuneration can be excellent, long and irregular hours are common.
  • In some occupational areas the availability of work may fluctuate considerably.
What you need

Depending on the area you work in, you will need a degree in Engineering, IT, Industrial Design, Accountancy or other relevant disciplines. To work in the industrial design field you will require: creative problem-solving skills; artistic flair; a strong ability to comprehend mechanical concepts; good numeracy skills; and strong verbal communication skills.

Strong computer skills are also required in many occupations with the increasing use of Computer-aided Design (CAD).

Job growth prospects in this field are predicted to be good because of the demand for more skilled input into the design and manufacturing process.

Money matters

Salaries for new graduates working in manufacturing vary widely because there are few typical graduate roles within the industry. This means that most graduates are working in a different occupation, with a different salary, than their peers. The Australian Graduate Survey indicates that half of all new bachelor graduates employed full-time in the manufacturing industry in 2006 earned between $32,000-$50,000, four to six months after completing their qualifications. The equivalent range for those working at a managerial level was $40,000-$70,000. See www.gradsonline.com.au for current salary information.

Significant stats
  • Although employment in manufacturing has fallen slightly over recent times (down by 1.7 per cent in the five years to February 2007) the industry is still the fourth largest employer in Australia. As well as contributing to employment directly, manufacturing has significant flow-on effects to other industries and contributes to export earnings.
  • As of May 2007, 1,076,600 (10.3 per cent) of the work force were employed in this industry in Australia.
  • Almost 90 per cent of jobs in Australian manufacturing are full-time and nearly three quarters of workers are male.

Source: except where indicated, figures from www.skillsinfo.gov.au and “Australian Jobs 2007”, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.