Welding scaled

Career Mapping

Manufacturing Careers through Community College Workforce Alliance

Virginia’s Community Colleges have begun to explore visualizations that help students see career pathways within given industries. The map below shows a career pathway in manufacturing for the Community College Workforce Alliance, in the Richmond region.

There are dozens of careers across many sectors of the manufacturing industry and the pathway below shows just a handful of positions and where they might lead.

Local employers who hire CCWA graduates in this field include: Westrock, Philip-Morris, Victory Packaging, Ukrop’s Home Style Foods, DuPont, GE Performance Foods, International Paper, Eaton, Nestle, Niagara Boling, Mondelez, BrightView, and Honeywell, among others.

Click and interact with the career pathways below by clicking the title to reveal the next career steps. Or, view our static map.

Under job growth, a ↑ and ↓ indicate increasing and decreasing demand, while a — means no change.

Mechanical Maintenance

CIP Code: 47.0303

Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): 4% locally, 16% nationally

Supportive Resources: G3, FastForward, Virginia Ready

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Manufacturing Technician 1 (MT1) training and credential

Welding

CIP Code: 48.0508

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): 5%

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Welding CSC

Precision Machining

CIP Code: 48.0501 and 48.0510

Fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): 4%

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Basic Precision Machining CSC or Computer Numerical Control CSC

Electrical

CIP Code: 46.0302

Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): 8%

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Industrial Electricity CSC or Residential Electricity CSC

Mechanical Engineering Technology and Mechatronics

CIP Code: 15.0805 and 15.0407

Mechanical Technicians modify, develop, test, and adjust unmanned, automated, servomechanical and electro-mechanical equipment.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): 4%

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Mechanical Engineering Technology AAS or MET, Mechatronics Specialization AAS

Manufacturing

CIP Code: 48.0503

Fabricate and modify metal parts in support of other manufacturing, repair or design activities.