October Is National Manufacturing Month
Harmony Enterprises is excited to celebrate National Manufacturing Month this October and Manufacturing Week in Minnesota. As always, we will be conducting student educational tours in conjunction with regional high school vocational tech programs.
We are also celebrating this year’s event with a look at how manufacturing is gaining interest as a career option for students and those seeking alternative employment opportunities.
Why A Career In Manufacturing?
There are many reasons why more and more people are considering a career in manufacturing. High school students, graduates, and even those with current employment in other areas are all taking a new look at the benefits manufacturing has to offer as a career.
Here are just a few of the things that make manufacturing attractive:
Consistent Income and Competitive Benefits
Contrary to what many might think, jobs in manufacturing offer competitive salaries. Starting wages are well-above minimum wage, and offer opportunity for incremental wage increases over time and improved performance. They are also paid out evenly, providing for a consistent income that makes monthly budgeting and saving possible for most families.
In addition, most manufacturers offer benefit packages that other jobs do not. How do your benefits stack up?
Matching 401K, health insurance, vision/dental options, child care discounts, professional development, long term disability insurance, short term disability insurance, life insurance, paid vacations, paid holidays, and other safety incentive programs are some of the benefits offered by manufacturers.
Local Opportunities For Employment
Harmony Enterprises has provided meaningful employment benefiting our local community since 1962.
Many manufacturers are based right in your own hometown. If one does not exist in your area, you won’t have to travel far to find one. In today’s climate of labor shortages, you will probably find one eager to hire quality employees.
Having local opportunity for employment helps with transportation costs, lunch bills, and child care concerns. It also saves time with commuting, which can take away as much as much as 200 hours a year on the national average. That’s nine full days of your life traveling to and from your job!
Not only that, but the salaries paid out by local manufacturers go right back into the economy of their communities in their grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and other small businesses.
Safe Work Environment
Manufacturing facilities are some of the safest work environments in the world. Although production is fluid and things move at a rapid pace, manufacturing centers are subject to some of the most strict regulations required by law.
ISO Certified manufacturers like Harmony Enterprises are constantly working to improve processes and safety standards. We have safety committees that meet and review items regularly, offer incentives for safety milestones, and utilize corrective action plans for anything below standard in the area of safety.
Flexible Scheduling
Changes in the global marketplace and in human resources practices has led to flexible scheduling and multiple shifts being offered by manufacturers. Daily shifts and lunch hours may be different by position, and even be extended beyond the scope of normal business hours to accommodate consumer demand.
Multiple Areas Of Interest
Welding is just one of the many skills used in manufacturing. Harmony’s welders are master craftsmen who take pride in their quality work.
Manufacturing includes a growing set of diverse career opportunities. In our company, we have talented employees in Accounting, Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Inventory, Engineering, Panel Build, Fabrication, Welding, Assembly, Painting, Shipping, Safety/Maintenance, and more!
It is not uncommon for employees to gain experience and skills in one area, and then be promoted to lead and work in other areas of interest within the same company.
Technology Growth/New Sectors
Manufacturing is one of the hottest sectors for growth in technology, digital transformation, and connected enterprise.
The use of robotics, automation, CNC nesting, and computer enhanced design are just a few of the technological advancements being used in manufacturing today. Each of these improvements does not lead to job layoff or loss, rather, increases the need for additional training and staff to program, run, and maintain these new operational systems.
Minimal Student Debt
Student debt is a serious problem for many college graduates. Those entering the manufacturing profession do not typically incur student debt.
One large advantage manufacturing has over other professions is the lack of debt incurred by those seeking training at vocational institutions of higher learning.
In many instances, trade schools partner with manufacturers to provide internships or future employment training. Minimal secondary education is required for entry level positions. Because of this, those seeking a long term career in manufacturing do not face the burden of crippling student debt experienced by peers completing traditional four year degrees.
Supplemental Income
A recent phenomenon in the heartland is the opportunity for supplemental income for farmers. Politics aside, the recent tariffs have taken a toll on agricultural prices and many farmers are looking for additional income outside of their normal livelihood. With the flexible scheduling of multiple shifts mentioned previously, manufacturing has been a source of supplemental revenue for those who want the extra work.
Benefit To Economy/Quality Of Life
One of the neatest things about manufacturing is the overall benefit to the economy and quality of life that it provides. According to the Roosevelt Institute, manufacturing is central to the economy in six main ways:
- Manufacturing has been the path to development
- Manufacturing is the foundation of global “Great Power”
- Manufacturing is the most important cause of economic growth
- Global trade is based on goods, not services
- Services are dependent on manufactured goods
- Manufacturing creates jobs
Just as importantly, manufacturing provides us all with the products that make our lives better. Without innovation, product testing and development, and production, we would not have many of the things that we take for granted every day.
How Will You Celebrate?
Harmony’s team of committed, passionate, and innovative employees have the courage to make a difference and manufacture our quality waste handling & recycling equipment to enhance our shared experience!
Harmony Enterprises is proud to celebrate Manufacturing Month. Our team is “all in” on being the global leader in waste handling and recycling. We live out our Core Values, centered around our Core Purpose of our Career, Community, and Culture.
We hope that you take the time to learn more about the career opportunities available in manufacturing, as well as about the manufacturers in your own communities.
If you would like to learn more About Us, or about the over 40 waste handling and recycling products manufactured by Harmony Enterprises to make your world and the earth better, please call us at (507) 886-6666 or Contact Us today!
