SOUTH East Development’s Anita Buczkowsky breaks down some of the common myths surrounding manufacturing.
Myth: Manufacturing is a low skilled, low paid and boring sector.
Fact: Modern manufacturing is a dynamic industry which provides highly skilled, well paid careers, including design, computer programming, environmental management, sales and marketing, human resources, production planning, research and development, and logistics.
It needs people to research, design, make, market and manage an exciting range of new and improved goods and products.
Myth: Manufacturing careers are mainly for men.
Fact: Isolated work roles are disappearing and manufacturing is increasingly creative and team focussed, attracting more women into the industry.
Many manufacturers are actively recruiting women for their project management and team skills.
Myth: Manufacturing environments are dirty, repetitive and offer few of the advantages young people are seeking.
Fact: Assembly lines have been replaced with high tech workplaces.
Manufacturing offers diverse career path options that provide access to ongoing study and training, well paid positions with opportunities to travel, and leadership and management roles.
Myth: The manufacturing sector is in decline.
Fact: Manufacturing is more important than ever. Everything we use is manufactured.
We increasingly consume new technology, new foods and new products.
The modern economy is based on developing high tech processes to produce these foods and products.
Myth: Fewer manufacturing jobs will exist in the future.
Fact: While large global manufacturing businesses have experienced some job losses in recent years, sophisticated small-medium sized businesses continue to record strong employment growth.
Employment in Greater Dandenong continues to increase, and of the 10,000 new jobs created over the past six years in the region, 3000 of those have been in manufacturing.
