- Pay raises were the rule, not the exception
- Base salaries exceed $100,000 for the first time since the 2008 survey
- Career satisfaction remains high
- Government regulation increases as a concern
A Sense of Accomplishment
"People involved in manufacturing absolutely love it. There's a sense of accomplishment every day," adds Herb Bradshaw, a former plant manager at 2005 IW Best Plants winner Thomas & Betts in Athens, Tenn.
The level of satisfaction expressed by manufacturing management -- not to mention the pay potential--begs the question: Why aren't more people entering manufacturing? Just 8% of the salary survey respondents are age 39 or less. Only 1% of the survey population is younger than 30.
The fact that management-level positions typically require some degree of experience explains the low percentages of younger managers, at least in part. But it has been spelled out clearly in the pages of IndustryWeek and elsewhere that skilled positions in manufacturing management and on the production floor are going unfilled.
"Manufacturing as a viable career path needs a better PR firm. It's not seen as an attractive option for most people," says the vice president of operations in the consumer goods/durables industry. He has 26-plus years of experience, lives in the Pacific region and earns $230,000.
Kevin J. Klapcic, owner of Midwest Machine Service, sees the challenges manufacturers have in finding skilled positions, particularly in equipment maintenance. In fact, his Cleveland firm benefits from it. While Midwest Machine builds some equipment, Klapcic earns a significant percentage of his income from rebuilding or assisting manufacturers who do not have the in-house talent to repair their machinery.
He can outline the required skill sets in his work. They include mechanical ability, as well as the ability to be both team player and a self-starter. He adds, "Troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. Those are huge."
Many manufacturers have either introduced or stepped up efforts to bridge that skills gap. The Raymond Corp. is one example. "As a manufacturer in the material handling business for almost 100 years, we've realized it's equally as important to help shape the talent pool entering the industry as it is to maintain it," says Chuck Pascarelli, president of sales and marketing. "The relationships we've established with engineering programs through local universities, colleges and tech schools have ensured high-quality talent at the gate. In some instances, we've even helped to shape the curriculum or create placement programs for these organizations. We also understand that learning doesn't stop there. We've made it a priority to offer exclusive training programs and continuing education for many of our employees."
As in previous years' surveys, most manufacturing management identified job stability and base salary as the factors that matter in their jobs. Fully 25% of IW subscribers identified job stability as their No. 1 concern.
That concern is echoed in a warning by a vice president of manufacturing: "The push to outsource manufacturing severely impacts job security, pay, bonuses and job opportunities within the manufacturing industries, which makes it a very undesirable career choice for young people. This is going to be a major problem for our country in the future as we lose our ability to manufacture the goods we need."
Methodology
The IndustryWeek 2013 Salary Survey was conducted online via e-mailed invitations to subscribers. The survey took place in November 2012-January 2013. A total of 909 people responded to the survey. After the data were cleaned (removing largely incomplete surveys and a handful of non-U.S. subscribers, primarily) 893 people turned in responses from the 2013 survey. Respondents were not compensated but were offered the chance to provide candid comments regarding their salaries, occupations and employers. The candid comments may have been lightly edited, primarily for spelling. All responses were anonymous.
