Why is a career in toolmaking or machining technologies the right choice for students, community and country?

“In the old days”, manufacturing was a part of daily life.  Today, products appear from “invisible” factories, local and abroad.  Yet, there are 76,000 machinist job openings today. 

How does a toolmaking career compare to other types of careers?

Toolmakers work about as much overtime as others with high incomes (medical residents, investment bankers, corporate lawyers, and other professionals work 70-80 hours a week on average.  Toolmakers work 45-55 hours/week on average.  (The average for all full time workers is 50.8 hours).  Toolmakers work hard but can leave their work behind.  In contrast for business executives on vacation: The American Management Association’s survey of 645 executives in 2002 found that in that group of business executives on vacation, 26% check in with the office daily, 63% weekly.  18% take work along.  And 36% do work on vacation.

What does a toolmaking career require and why are these jobs so critical to community and country?

Technology requires skill.  Here are the requirements for being world competitive:

• quality
• cost
• delivery

Necessary conditions (and their challenges):

• skilled labor (in very short supply)
• technology investment (40% of companies cannot modernize equipment because workers lack the skills)

Ineffective skills among employees have prevented 1-in-5 manufacturers from expanding.  And manufacturing skills shortages are impacting business! 

How can you enter a career in toolmaking?

Community colleges offer a good solution.  A NAM 2005 Skills Gap report shows that 80% of companies believe applicants with a certificate from a 2-year college are adequately prepared for a typical entry level job in their company.

Tooling and Machining job benefits:

• High occupational income ($40,000 - $60,000/year)
• High job security
• Excellent job mobility: there are machinist jobs everywhere in the country
• Entrepreneurial opportunities: excellent
• Computer content: high
• Job satisfaction: high
• Relation of job to education: high

What are some careers related to toolmaking?

• teaching machining technologies
• applications engineering
• selling machine tools
• selling machine tool supplies
• selling secondary equipment
• marketing machine tools and related products
• designing molds

Want to learn more? 

Contact NIMS, the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.  NIMS is a non-profit organization formed to support the development of a skilled workforce for the metal-working industry.  They work at developing, writing, validating, and maintaining skill standards for each industry; certifying the skills of individuals against the skill standards; accrediting training programs that train to the skill standards and meet NIMS quality requirements; assisting states, schools, and companies to form partnerships to implement the skill standards, achieve program accreditation, and certify the skills of trainees and workers.

Contact NIMS:

Steve Mandes
Executive Director
National Institute for Metalworking Skills
3201 Old Lee Highway, Suite 205
Fairfax, VA  22030
703-352-4971 phone
703-352-4991 fax
smandes@nims-skills.org

See also:

Strengthening our Nation's Workforce with Demand-Driven Solutions