Over the years, the Industrial Machinery and Components (IMC) industry has changed rapidly, and the sole reason is the rapid technological advancement and also increased competitive landscape. Because of this technological advancement, manufacturers are now looking for even more new ways to improve their processes and ways to deliver increased value to their customers. In today’s global economy, companies in the industrial machinery and components (IM&C) sector face a number of challenges, including rising operational costs, supply chain disruptions, and increasingly demanding customers. And despite these challenges, component manufactures are finding new ways to optimize growth and cost savings through digital manufacturing, assembly, and service. And this is one of the main reasons the industrial machinery/components industry is growing at the fastest pace.

Are you currently thinking about getting established in the industrial machinery/components industry? Do you have a lot of questions on your mind regarding career scope and growth opportunities, salary, job security, demand, and many such important factors? Then, you will find answers to all your confusions and queries right here in this article. Before taking the biggest career decision of your life, isn’t it wise to know every important thing about the industry you are about to enter? By the end of this article, you will have all the answers to your questions and have enough knowledge to prepare for the industry.

1. What is Industrial Machinery/ Components?

Before focusing on some important factors, let’s just sum up what industrial machinery/components actually are. The industrial machinery industry is very diverse,  as different types of equipment are used for different purposes in industrial settings. And the machinery used is produced by manufacturers with quality components to help them effectively serve their purpose.

Hence, industrial machinery is an important field that helps maintain the efficiency of all the industries as a whole and is also responsible for repairing and maintaining factory machines.

2. Why is Industrial Machinery/ Components Considered a Good Career Path?

Now the biggest question arises, why would you actually choose industrial machinery/components as an industry to get established? And the answer is, there are many unavoidable reasons that are enough to convince you to take this biggest career decision. Not only does the industrial machinery industry offer abundant job opportunities, but it also has multiple branches that together make up this industry.

Let’s discuss the various branches of the industrial machinery industry so that it becomes easier for you to choose the right sector where you would love to work and find purpose. Some of the major branches of the industrial machinery industry are:

1. Agriculture, Construction and Mining Machinery Manufacturing
2. Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing
3. Ventilation, heating, air-conditioning equipment manufacturing
4. Industrial Machinery Manufacturing
5. Commercial and Service Industry Manufacturing
6. Engine, Turbine and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing

Are some of the most important, functional areas of industrial machinery, and you can choose accordingly where you would fit perfectly or which job role will be ideal for you.

3. Types of Job Opportunities and Their Roles

If you are wondering what the most popular jobs offered by the industrial machinery industry that you can choose to work in are, then have a look at this list below:

• Industrial Machinery Mechanics/ Maintenance Mechanists: These professionals are responsible for keeping machines working and maintaining them by fixing technical faults.

• Millwrights: These professionals usually install, dismantle, disassemble and move industrial machineries in factories, construction sites, power plants and so on. A single work can last days or weeks, but is very important for the industries to keep going.

• Machinery Maintenance Engineer: As the name suggests, maintenance engineers are those professionals who maintain and repair machines, and conduct essential tests to keep them working. This maintenance is often carried out through planned schedules, and with the use of machine manuals.

• Assemblers and Fabricators: these professionals usually deal with finished products, their roles are involved with assembling the finished products in the right place, and use tools and machines to execute their works.

• Industrial Designers: play an important role in combining art, engineering and business all together to bring out advanced concepts and designs for manufactured products.

• Industrial Product Managers: if you want to be the in charge of looking after the daily operations of manufacturing of the firm, coordinate, plan and direct day-to-day activities and so on, then the role of industrial product manager is ideal for you.

• Quality Control Inspectors: these professionals are very important in the industry because they examine products and manufactured materials to find out defects and other issues.

And many other lower and higher exciting positions that you can choose to work for.

4. Best Paying Jobs

If your concern is about the best paying jobs in the industry, then you can work as a Millwrights and your average salary will be $55,000, or many engineering positions, where your salary would range from $80,000 to $95,000, or also opt for the managerial positions that have the highest pay scales.

If you are eager to know which particular job positions offer the highest pay, then have a look at this shortlist below:

• Instrumentation Engineer- with an average pay of  $107,881 per year
• Powertrain Engineer- $102,363 per year
• Research and Development Engineer- $92,781 per year
• Senior Mechanical Engineers- $99,376 per year
• Automation Engineers- $90,024 per year

5. How is the Work Environment?

To be honest, working with industrial machinery is quite dangerous and challenging oftentimes. Some works require tackling heavy metals, heavy loads, manufacturing of heavy products, and mostly dealing with complex and risky machines, so it is mostly a new challenge eveready dealing with machines and is sometimes dangerous. But, with the right safety measures and upon following the right rules and regulations, it becomes a lot easier. Don’t worry; you will be provided with all the required safety equipment before you begin to work with machines.

If you love to overcome challenges and would love to work in an industry that is different from the mainstream ones, then industrial machinery is the right place for you.

6. Educational Requirements

The educational requirements actually vary from position to position. You can complete your high school graduation or diploma and can apply for initial job positions or complete your bachelor’s or master’s to opt for higher positions. To be precise, there is a job position for every educational level.

7. How is the Demand?

With the manufacturing demands increasing every year, the demand for more employees is increasing in the industry as well. This increasing demand is also giving rise to newer job positions every day, so you can say there are no worries with the employment and growth opportunities involved in the industrial machinery industry.

8. Salary

Now let us come to the most important factor upon which everything actually depends, the salary. On average, working with industrial machinery can fetch you around $55,000 annually at least, but the amount varies from position to position. There are both low and highly-paid job positions available in this industry; now, the choice is all yours, where or under which position you would love to begin. But in a way, the average pay you will receive is good enough to begin your career, and the amount is indeed satisfactory as compared to other initial jobs in different industries.

9. Job Satisfaction and Security

Nothing can satisfy you unless you are happy with your job. Sometimes, higher pay can also lead to dissatisfaction if you fail to adjust to the job or the work environment, so loving your job is mandatory. Once you begin to live your job, satisfaction is bound to come.

If your concerns are related to job security in the machinery and components industry, then you can be totally assured that there are definitely no worries involved with not finding the right job or opportunities to switch to other positions. Jobs in this industry are secure; they provide you with growing and advancing opportunities that are necessary for career growth.

10. Not Your Regular 9 to 5 Job

One thing you have to keep in mind, the industry of machinery and components is not for all; you really need to have a lot of love for machines and must have a keen interest in working with and for them. Working in the machinery and components industry is not your regular 9 to 5 job; rather, it is way different and involves lots of challenges and dangers and often times a lot of hard work. But it is not that bad as it sounds, once you start working in your desired position, you will eventually start loving it, and when you begin to climb the ladder to work for higher positions, everything will be all worth it. If you obtain a master’s degree in engineering, you can actually apply for various engineering and managerial posts and receive high pay in return.

Conclusion

And, that was all about industrial machinery and components; hopefully, you might have got answers to all your questions and doubts. You can now let go of all your worries and enter this industry if you would love to be a part of an important industry. Full of career and growth opportunities, along with a decent pay scale, you can definitely consider the machinery industry as your ideal career path.