Manufacturing Careers in the Capital Region
The Capital Region’s manufacturing sector employed more than 34,000 workers in 2017 and is projected to add nearly 2,800 over the next 10 years. That 7 percent increase in manufacturing employment far outpaces projections for the nation (0 percent) and state (-5 percent), according to estimates from Economic Modeling Specialists Int. (EMSI).
Hot Local Manufacturing Occupations
The Capital Region’s entry-level manufacturing occupations1 that EMSI projects to add the most new jobs between 2017 and 2026 are listed below, by educational attainment. On top of these new jobs, there are thousands of more positions currently held by workers 55 years and older and who will reach or surpass retirement age (65 years) by the end of that 10-year period. 2
High school diploma or equivalent
Associate’s degree
Bachelor’s degree
High school diploma or equivalent
- Electrical, Electronic, & Electromechanical Assemblers
- 2017 Jobs: 493
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 142 (29%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 144
- Median Hourly Earnings: $15.80
- Packaging & Filling Machine Operators & Tenders
- 2017 Jobs: 386
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 101 (26%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 108
- Median Hourly Earnings: $14.56
- Semiconductor Processors
- 2017 Jobs: 120
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 95 (79%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 14
- Median Hourly Earnings: $25.27
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- 2017 Jobs: 558
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 68 (12%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 286
- Median Hourly Earnings: $27.82
- Machinists
- 2017 Jobs: 729
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 60 (8%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 274
- Median Hourly Earnings: $22.60
Associate’s degree
- Electrical & Electronics Engineering Technicians
- 2017 Jobs: 226
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 95 (42%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 115
- Median Hourly Earnings: $29.47
- Industrial Engineering Technicians
- 2017 Jobs: 352
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 59 (17%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 100
- Median Hourly Earnings: $29.24
- Chemical Technicians
- 2017 Jobs: 211
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 23 (11%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 95
- Median Hourly Earnings: $26.13
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians
- 2017 Jobs: 95
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 14 (15%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 69
- Median Hourly Earnings: $26.98
- Engineering Technicians
- 2017 Jobs: 71
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 12 (17%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 81
- Median Hourly Earnings: $32.52
Bachelor’s degree
- Industrial Engineers
- 2017 Jobs: 849
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 224 (26%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 331
- Median Hourly Earnings: $45.46
- Electrical Engineers
- 2017 Jobs: 416
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 119 (29%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 381
- Median Hourly Earnings: $48.28
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- 2017 Jobs: 70
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 85 (121%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 49
- Median Hourly Earnings: $43.46
- Chemists
- 2017 Jobs: 196
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 74 (38%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 89
- Median Hourly Earnings: $36.33
- Software Developers, Applications
- 2017 Jobs: 168
- 10-Year Jobs Created: 68 (40%)
- Workers Reaching or Surpassing Retirement Age in 10 Years: 318
- Median Hourly Earnings: $38.16
CEG Activities
CEG is engaged in the following activities to expand and enhance the Capital Region’s manufacturing talent pipeline for entry-level and higher-skill positions:
Manufacturing Technology Pathways Project: Hudson Valley Community College’s new short-term, stackable credential training program, or “boot camp,” supported by part of a $250,000 KeyBank Foundation grant administered by CEG;
Certified Production Technician (CPT) Program: A new eight- to 12-week-long certificate course at Schenectady County Community College, supported by part of a $250,000 KeyBank Foundation grant administered by CEG.
Manufacturing Intermediary Apprenticeship Program (MIAP): A CEG program, in partnership with the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), to assist local manufacturers in training incumbent workers for high-skill trades.
Business Growth Solutions (BGS): A National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center, CEG’s BGS unit can help manufacturers obtain grants for employee training initiatives.
Notes
- 1 Occupations that typically do not require prior experience.
- 2 Based on 2017 employment levels.
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