It is relatively easy to become a manufacturing technician after military service because most veterans are already trained with the skills needed for many manufacturing positions. The manufacturing industry continues to struggle to find skilled workers, so veteran with technical training will be able to find employment, according to Huffington Post.
Pre-Trained for Success
When it comes to technical and mechanical skills, veterans usually have the best experience because the military employs a variety of state-of-the-art technologies. The military requires the absolute reliability of their machines and equipment, so veterans are instilled with the drive, patience and commitment that private manufacturers appreciate. Military technicians and maintenance personnel are already familiar with strict standard operating procedures that the military imposes for all of its equipment and maintenance people. The military also emphasizes the need to focus on accomplishing missions, which transitions well in the manufacturing world.
Military vs. Manufacturing Jobs
Certain military positions translate well to civilian manufacturing jobs. For example, military weapons technicians inspect, maintain and repair weapons every day. They are trained in troubleshooting, quality control and advanced decision-making. Military weapons technicians work under intense conditions and hostile environments, so they will excel at following basic protocols to keep machinery running. Alternatively, combat engineers are used to working under pressure while constructing a variety of random products. Military combat engineers have the supervisory, critical thinking and organizational skills that translate well into the manufacturing industry. These veterans are experienced with inspecting equipment, monitoring processes and troubleshooting machines.
Entry-level Manufacturing Technician
These technicians execute work instructions to fabricate assigned parts in manufacturing plants. Their primary objective is to create high quality parts that comply with internal standards and customer specifications while maintaining a safe and productive work environment. They are accountable to production supervisors for the accurate execution of assigned work instructions and for reaching daily production goals. They operate production machinery according to established procedures, assist with manufacturing processes and record production information. This means that they enter data into software systems and production consoles. Every day, they resolve manufacturing and maintenance related problems and troubleshoot machine operations to improve efficiency.
Manufacturing Assembler
The basic function of a manufacturing assembler is to create piece builds and instructional documentation for manufacturing purposes. They provide verbal and written technical support to a variety of assembly manufacturing processes. They often work under the supervision of a manufacturing engineer to create equipment builds. For every project, they read schematics and interpret assembly drawings in order to arrange components and properly assemble them into final products. They determine the appropriate tools, materials and processes to build equipment. They may be required to develop new work parameters and develop troubleshooting procedures for mechanical and electrical problems.
Related Resource: Logistician
Those who want to become a manufacturing technician after military service will most likely be able to work their way up into a supervisory position. These manufacturing professions maintain quality systems, establish work and production schedules and update work instructions and standard operating procedures. A four-year degree with industry standard technical certifications are recommended for this position.
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