Today’s manufacturing offers a wide range of exciting and challenging careers. Manufacturing is the third largest industry in Minnesota. Minnesota manufacturers produce everything from food products and snow mobiles to high-tech medical devices that save and improve lives. According to
Dream It Do It, 13% of all jobs in Minnesota are in manufacturing (over 290,000 careers!) and Minnesota typically has 3,300 job openings every year! These include careers in:
- Engineering
- Machining
- Business Development
- Sales
- Customer Service
- Assembly
- Management
- Inspection and Quality Control
Minnesota manufacturing jobs on average have a salary of around $56,000 a year versus the state average of $46,000. The work environment may also surprise you – today’s manufacturers use high-tech equipment, lasers and robotics to produce their products, housed in clean, bright, state-of-the-art facilities. Minnesota also offers a wide-variety of companies to choose from. Yes, we are home to many of the top Fortune 500 manufacturing brands, well-known names like Medtronic, 3M and Ecolab, but Minnesota also has many vibrant and entrepreneurial small- and medium-sized manufacturing operations. As
IMT reports, small and medium-sized businesses account for more than one-third of all U.S. exports by dollar value.
Minnesota manufacturing also has a strong partnership with educational institutions such as technical and community colleges, high schools and four-year colleges, so finding the right path to gain the skills you need to be successful is readily available.
Minnesota manufacturing as an industry is also strong. The
Star Tribune reports, “Minnesota’s manufacturers closed out 2013 on a high note as they benefited from solid increases in sales, new orders and a jump in employment.” According to the article, the manufacturing sector played a big role in improving December business condition index from 55.7 in November to 58.9 in December 2013.
Tell us about what interests you most about manufacturing? 
Photo source: Dream It Do It MN