Since Manufacturing Day is on October 5th, we are doing a series on the misconceptions concerning manufacturing, and one of those misconceptions is that the demand for manufacturing jobs is low. We recently interviewed Staci Uselton, senior manager of human resources at the YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. national manufacturing center in Macon, Georgia about this subject, and here is what she had to say.
Question: What are some opportunities in manufacturing?
Answer: The things that come directly to my mind is the fact that there are lots of positions in technical areas involving maintenance, and someone in a technical position would need to be able to understand the electronics that are involved with running machines. Many of the machines are much more computer-based these days. They have become so much smarter over the years and have become so much more sophisticated. People coming in at entry level positions should have computer experience.
Another thing that comes to mind is that there are opportunities at all levels, from people who have no experience at all up to technical opportunities.
Question: What are the selling points concerning manufacturing jobs?
Answer: YKK has a lot to offer, including the stability of the organization and the commitment that YKK Japan has made to making YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. in Macon a stable place to work.
We also offer a very competitive benefits package, and we have many people who have such a long tenure with YKK, which is very appealing to job applicants.
In terms of manufacturing in general, there is a huge push for everything to be made in the U.S.
There are also opportunities for scholarships and internships, which are funded by the state of Georgia.
Question: What are the misconceptions verses the reality concerning manufacturing jobs?
Answer: A misconception is that manufacturing is a dirty environment and that the actual manufacturing process is where you would walk away filthy.
Often when I am giving a plant tour, I will have people say, “I can’t believe it is so clean out here.”
Many people believe you will get dirty working in a manufacturing environment, but that’s not the case. There is lots of automation and technology involved.
A lot of the machines are automated, and there will be one person feeding the machine and doing quality checks to make sure that the machines are producing a quality product.
Some of our plants use robots, but those are primarily in the brass wire plant where they deal with spools of wire that are extremely heavy.
To find out what opportunities are available at YKK in Macon, GA, visit https://ykkamericas.com/about-us/work-for-ykk/
