A manufacturing associate is a worker who works for a manufacturing firm. Most businesses categorize their employees based on their job functions and classify them as direct or indirect labor. Because a manufacturing associate is directly involved in the production of a product, he or she is classified as direct labor.
Manufacturing firms offer a wide range of manufacturing associate positions, each with its own set of skills and experience requirements. Electronics manufacturing, for example, necessitates a completely different skill set than furniture manufacturing. In addition, learning the necessary technical skills to become an expert in electronics manufacturing may necessitate a significant amount of training.
It is a job requirement in the manufacturing field to learn how to operate manufacturing equipment. Associates must also become solder certified and follow the IPC’s requirements for higher level electronics work. The Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC), formerly known as the Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits, is an industry-recognized organization that establishes acceptable quality standards. When an associate becomes IPC-certified, they will be able to do more delicate work and earn more money. To ensure that their associates receive the training they need to increase sales, some companies either pay for the training or host IPC training on site.
Because the majority of manufacturing associate jobs entail repetitive motions or assembly line work, employees should avoid repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. A manufacturing employee may be required to stand for long periods of time each day, as well as lift or pull equipment and product as part of his or her daily duties. Some manufacturing associate jobs are better suited to younger people or people in good physical condition because of these requirements. If a person is interested in working as a manufacturing associate but cannot stand for long periods of time, there are a few less physically demanding jobs that require an associate to sit and insert small parts onto product on a moving assembly line.
Because most manufacturing associate jobs do not require a college diploma, the pay may be lower than comparable office work that does. Manufacturing jobs, on the other hand, are typically hourly jobs with the possibility of overtime pay. Manufacturing plants also operate on a 16- or 24-hour schedule, allowing for more flexibility than a typical 9-to-5 office job. For employees who work the second or third shift, there is also a shift differential pay rate, which means that the per-hour pay is higher for working later shifts.