Growing? Declining? Good Pay? Not? Beyond the headlines here is the finer distinctions about where the opportunities are in manufacturing. Tailored to the Finger Lakes region.

1. Manufacturing
Myths & Reality
Where the opportunities are

2. TRUE OR FALSE Quiz Yourself
• Manufacturing is on the decline
• Most manufacturing jobs are low-skilled jobs
• A manufacturing job will no longer provide a ‘middle class’ lifestyle
• Most positions in manufacturing are jobs which involve ‘working with your
hands’

3. Manufacturing is on the decline
TRUE… BUT…
• Manufacturing employment peaked in 1979 accounting for about 20 million jobs
nationally. It is closer to 10 million today. Overall it is not a fast-growing sector
• However
• While the largest projected growth today is in the service sector there’s a catch:
• On average full-time manufacturing jobs pay 20% more than fulltime service sector jobs
• There are some very good-paying high growth jobs within the manufacturing sector that do not
require a four-year degree
• Many manufacturers in the Finger Lakes Region have more openings than qualified
candidates.

4. Is manufacturing
on the decline?
Overall, Yes 
But within manufacturing,
there are opportunities…

5. Growth Segments within manufacturing (Finger Lakes)
31 Manufacturing 66,090 65,680 -410 -0.6%
311 Food Manufacturing 5,810 7,300 1,490 25.6%
332 Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 8,760 9,670 910 10.4%
326 Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing 5,280 5,960 680 12.9%
312 Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing 2,640 3,140 500 18.9%
321 Wood Product Manufacturing 540 630 90 16.7%
331 Primary Metal Manufacturing 570 630 60 10.5%
335 Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing 880 940 60 6.8%
337 Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 770 810 40 5.2%
313 Textile Mills 350 370 20 5.7%
322 Paper Manufacturing 2,090 2,100 10 0.5%
324 Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 160 160 0 0.0%
327 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 1,550 1,530 -20 -1.3%
334 Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing 10,360 10,320 -40 -0.4%
314 Textile Product Mills 360 310 -50 -13.9%
339 Miscellaneous Manufacturing 3,680 3,610 -70 -1.9%
336 Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 2,430 2,020 -410 -16.9%
325 Chemical Manufacturing 4,700 4,170 -530 -11.3%
323 Printing and Related Support Activities 2,620 1,940 -680 -26.0%
333 Machinery Manufacturing 11,920 9,650 -2,270 -19.0%

6. Manufacturing Jobs are Low Skill Jobs
FALSE
• False
• The term Middle Skill jobs is used to describe most (but not all) of the jobs in
manufacturing.
• Middle Skill jobs are characterized as follows:
• They usually do not require a four-year degree
• They do require a high school diploma
• Middle skill jobs usually require:
• Some education beyond high school, associates degree usually not required,
• Vocational training,
• On-the-job training,
• or experience in a related field.
• Most valued skills for Middle Skill Manufacturing Roles?
• Math, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Communication (especially listening)

7. Manufacturing Jobs are Low-Paying
FALSE
• False
• While some Manufacturing Jobs pay less than the median salary in our region, most pay
more.
• In fact, some of the better paying jobs that don’t require a 4-year degree are in this
sector.
• Additionally, manufacturing has some well established career ladders within the field.
• This means that, if you are coachable and there are opportunities for advancement
within the field or your company.

8. Best Paying Jobs in One Manufacturing Sector
(Fabricated Metal Products)
SOC Code 28 Occupations represent the majority of jobs, 16 Pay above median, only TWO of these require a bachelors degree % of Employment in sector 4-yr Degree? Median Pay
11-1021 General and Operations Managers 2.30%
No $ 124,970
41-4012 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 2.20%
No $ 86,610
17-2141 Mechanical Engineers 1.70%
Yes $ 84,900
17-2112 Industrial Engineers 1.00%
Yes $ 84,200
51-1011 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 4.50%
No $ 63,560
47-2211 Sheet Metal Workers 3.80%
No $ 59,110
17-3013 Mechanical Drafters 1.10%
No $ 54,360
51-4111 Tool and Die Makers 1.50%
No $ 53,680
51-4012 Computer Numerically Controlled Machine Tool Programmers, Metal and Plastic 1.10%
No $ 48,570
51-2041 Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters 2.70%
No $ 45,540
51-4041 Machinists 10.20%
No $ 44,610
51-4121 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 6.90%
No $ 43,680
43-3031 Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1.50%
No $ 43,020
49-9071 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 1.10%
No $ 42,770
51-4034 Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 1.50%
No $ 39,490
51-9061 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers 3.50%
No $ 39,410
Median Salary of ALL Jobs in the Finger Lakes Region
$ 38,290

9. Manufacturing jobs are Hands-on (“Crafting”) Jobs
TRUE… But…
• While the most Common Manufacturing jobs are in production of goods a not all
are.
• Here are a few of the more common non-crafting roles in manufacturing, in no
particular order:
Bakers Salespersons Light Truck Drivers
Office Support Workers Shipping & Receiving
Clerks
Bookkeeping, Accounting
and Auditing Clerks
Customer Service Reps First-line Supervisors Operations Managers
Supply Chain Specialist Administrative support …

10. Want to Learn More about higher-growth, higher-paying
opportunities in Manufacturing?
• Manufacturing Month at RochesterWorks!
• 10/18 9-11 AM: High-Tech Manufacturing Career Panel (Goodman Street, pre-reg required)
• 10/24 1-3 PM: Manufacturing Career Fair (Waring Road)
• Job Strategy Group Topics all month.
• http://rochesterworks.org/js_workshops_downtown.aspx
• FAME - http://www.nyfame.org/
• RTMA - http://www.rtma.org/
• Additional RW! Resources to showcase your strengths
• Career Exploration, WorkKeys, Proveit – Contact a staff member for details