Production Recruitment

What are Production Jobs?

Production jobs involve the planning, coordination and control of industrial processes.

In Production jobs, employees ensure that goods and services are produced efficiently; that they are of the right quality, quantity, and cost; and that they are produced on time, to the satisfaction of the customer, at the right price. The scope of production jobs depend on the nature of the production system: jobbing production, mass production, process production, or batch production.

Many companies are involved in several types of production, adding to the complexity of the job.

Typical tasks for Production Jobs involve:

• Overseeing the production process, drawing up a production schedule;
• Ensuring that the production is cost effective;
• Making sure that products are produced on time and are of good quality;
• Working out the human and material resources needed;
• Drafting a timescale for the job;
• Estimating costs and setting the quality standards;
• Monitoring the production processes and adjusting schedules as needed;
• Being responsible for the selection and maintenance of equipment;
• Monitoring product standards and implementing quality-control programmes;
• Liaising among different departments, e.g. suppliers, managers;
• Working with managers to implement the company's policies and goals;
• Ensuring that health and safety guidelines are followed;
• Supervising and motivating a team of workers;
• Reviewing the performance of subordinates;
• Identifying training needs. 

Skills and Personal Qualities Required In Production Jobs

• Planning and organising skills;
• Ability to act decisively;
• Ability to grasp concepts easily;
• Problem-solving capabilities;
• ICT literacy;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively;
• Excellent negotiating skills;
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;
• Good physical health;
• Ability to motivate others;
• Self-confidence;
• Ability to work in a logical, systematic manner;
• Good judgement;
• Common sense.

Qualifications

Entry without a degree or any relevant qualification can be difficult; however, you may progress from a very junior role to production manager if you are able to demonstrate your motivation and willingness to develop within the company.

Although this area of work is open to all graduates, a degree in the following subjects may increase your chances: Mechanical Engineering; Food Science/Technology; Process Engineering; Business/Management; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Materials Science/Technology; Transport/Distribution/Logistics; Chemistry; Physics; Biochemistry.

Career Path

Employees often start off as trainees and gain experience in a number of different aspects of production management before moving on to become production supervisor or shift manager.

Some production managers eventually pursue a more strategic role and become involved with long-term planning rather than day-to-day operations. There are often opportunities to move into general management. In larger organisations a production manager may well be responsible for production on a number of sites, and opportunities to set up and manage operations overseas may arise with multinational firms.

Salary and conditions

Starting salaries for Production jobs range from £18,000 £32,000 depending on the role. Average salaries for production managers with a few years of experience vary from £24,000 - £37,000. For more senior roles, salaries are in the range of £40,000 - £65,000.

For more information contact us on freephone 0800 9553108 or email us recruitment@corkgriffiths.co.uk