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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

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

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Mechanical Maintenance CSC

CIP Code: $54,000 – 67,000

A Senior Industrial Mechanic repairs, installs, adjusts and/or maintains industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems.

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

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Mechanical Maintenance CSC

CIP Code: 47.0303 and 52.0205

Responsible for managing all aspects of the maintenance department. This includes managing the upkeep of all manufacturing assets, managing maintenance budget and resources and assisting in the design and installation of new systems.

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

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Technical Studies AAS

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

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

CIP Code: 48.0508

Oversee workers operating equipment, measuring dimensions to verify compliance and cutting industrial material for fabrication or processing.

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

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Technical Studies AAS

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

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: Precision Machining Technology Certificate

CIP Code: 48.0501 and 48.0510

Supervise a team of programmers and machinists to manufacture prototype components and regular production parts. Works closely with product development and production control teams.

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

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Technical Studies AAS

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

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: Electrical Engineering Technology AAS

CIP Code: 46.0302

Serve as job site supervisor/team leader for industrial projects, commercial electrical construction, and service work for equipment and facilities. Enforce and adhere to the electrical code.

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

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Technical Studies AAS

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

CIP Code: 15.0805 and 15.0407

Senior 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

CIP Code: 15.0805 and 15.0407

Supervises team that modifies, develops, tests and adjusts 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.

CIP Code: 52.0205

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): –

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Advanced Manufacturing Management CSC

CIP Code: 52.0205

Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators.

3-Year Job Forecast Growth (Virginia): –

Supportive Resources: G3

Training, Educational Programs & Accreditation Information: Advanced Manufacturing Technology AAS