You’ve been searching for employment in the manufacturing industry or just in general, you may have come across the term “light industrial,” or “light manufacturing.” Light industrial work is a term that pops up in job descriptions, job titles, and qualifications, but maybe you are unsure exactly what it means.
In this article, we’ll share what exactly is light industrial work, and how it is different from traditional manufacturing, warehouse, production, or distribution jobs.
What Is Light Industrial Work?
It all comes down to scale. Light industrial work is like many jobs you may find in manufacturing or distribution but occurs on a much smaller scale. For example, light industrial work involves producing or distributing smaller products and parts that make up larger goods. Because of this, it does not require a large, involved production, so this type of work typically:
- Relies more on labor and less on machinery
- Utilizes fewer materials, leading to less waste
- Uses partially produced materials to assemble a final product
Light industrial work spans countless industries from food production to automobile part assembly, home furnishings, and more. When working in the light industrial space, you may be responsible for assisting with product assembly, packaging and preparing goods for shipment, or performing quality control. Working in the light industrial field can have benefits with the right employer, such as solid base wages plus overtime opportunities, flexible schedules, and growth opportunities.
Examples of Light Industrial jobs
What types of positions and job titles are available? Some common job titles include:
- Material Handler
- Assembler
- Inventory Clerk
- Machine Operator
- Quality Control Tester
- Palletizers
- Stocker or Lumper
- Forklift Operator
As you can see with the examples above, this type of job can involve anything from working on the assembly line and piecing together products to operating the forklift to move materials and load/unload trucks.
How to Tell if You’re a Good Fit for Light Industrial Work
If you already have some experience in the manufacturing industry, light industrial work should sound pretty familiar to you. However, if you’re new to manufacturing and light industrial, you should keep in mind that “light” doesn’t mean “easy.”
It can still be very physical as it doesn’t utilize as much machinery to get the job done. So, before you apply for a light industrial job, you should keep in mind that the job is just as physical and demanding as a more “heavy” industrial job.
The best light industrial talent tends to have the following skills:
- Attention to detail
- Flexibility
- Ability to handle small parts and components
- Dependability
These skills ensure that production is efficient and effective, but also show employers that they can rely on you to get to work and finish tasks on time. Sound like you? Then you’d make a great candidate for a light industrial job.
Light Could Be Right
This type of work is very similar to other manufacturing, production, and distribution work you may find in your job search. They’re only “light” because they typically produce parts and components of larger products, allowing them to use smaller production facilities and teams. To get a job involving light industrial work, you still need to make sure you have all of the common manufacturing skills like attention to detail, reliability, dexterity, and more.
It’s clear that light industrial work is the right choice for many people. We’ll be happy to answer any questions about our process or how to get started, so don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. If you want more information on what it means to do light industrial work and whether this type of career might be right for you, click here to learn more.
