Production: Schools and Careers

About Production

Occupations in the Production field are generally focused on producing, creating, or manufacturing in part, or whole, products of value that will ultimately be sold or traded commercially. Production is related to, and/or is part of, just about any industry (e.g., agriculture, building and construction, film, jewelry, textiles, technology, medical, and much more). From a planning perspective, decisions are typically made based on the specific goods to be produced, the materials used, resources, equipment, technology, costs, timelines, guidelines, etc. Depending upon the industry, production can be cyclical.

Opportunities in Production are many and varied and include, but are not limited to: Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers, Welders, Solderers, Brazing workers, Woodworkers, Medical Appliance Technicians, Machinists, Utility Operator, Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Production and Operating Worker Supervisors, and much more.

While each profession has its own specific set of characteristics, skills, abilities, and requirements, some of the more commonly shared include, but are not limited to:

• generally work indoors; rarely, outdoors
• work 40/hours/week, with evening and weekend shifts (overtime) more common during peak production periods
• typically work alone, but at times, as part of a team
• as appropriate to the occupation, interact with supervisors throughout the day
• as applicable, possess knowledge of design techniques, principles, and tools included in the production and make use of precision technical blueprints, drawings, models, and plans
• knowledge of specific machines and tools, as well as their uses, repair, maintenance, and design
• manual and finger dexterity
• control precision (i.e., ability to rapidly and repeatedly adjust machine controls or vehicles to precise positions)

Production Career Education

Individuals entering a career in Production must possess a high school diploma or GED. In general, many individuals learn their skills through formal training or apprenticeship programs (some offered by unions or manufacturers), vocational schools, private schools, community or technical colleges, or through on-the-job training.

Training, depending on the type, can last anywhere from a few months (e.g., on-the-job training which may include supplemental, employer-paid training) up to four years (e.g., apprenticeship programs that typically include paid shop training and related classroom instruction). Acceptance into apprenticeship programs can be difficult. Individuals can prepare for apprenticeship by attending courses through a professional-technical or two-year school. Additionally, depending upon the specialty area, (e.g., welding and soldering), some branches of the military offer training programs that may last from four to 15 weeks.

Recognized certification programs and examinations are available. They enhance one's knowledge in a specific occupation or field, afford better career opportunities, and provide prospective employers with the ability to better determine/judge an applicant's abilities and expertise. Requirements vary by state.

Advancement to other occupations or to supervisory or administrative positions exists for those with strong experience.

Schools for Production are listed in the column to the left.

The Subcategories tab lists career specialties for Production, each of which has a full page profile on the site.

The Find Schools tab lets you search for schools by field of study, degree level, and location.

The Videos tab lets you watch videos describing many of the career specialties for Production.