It’s no secret that the North American manufacturing sector has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Downsizing and automation have changed manufacturing for good, both here in the United States and abroad. That being said, there will always be a domestic need for certain manufacturing sectors and industries, and the food processing equipment industry is one of them.
In fact, according to expert recruiting firms, the food processing equipment industry is one of the fastest growing sectors today. Globally, the market for food processing machinery and equipment is projected to grow to $60.8 billion by 2020, mostly being driven by a growing population, the Westernization of lifestyles, an expanding middle class in Asia, changing food habits, and rising demand for processed foods around the world.
That’s why in 2016, food manufacturing jobs and the food processing equipment industry is alive and well, with a diverse spectrum of companies operating in all 50 states. As the market for locally sourced foods continues to grow, food production jobs are expected to rise in a number of regional markets where they had previously been scarce.
That being said, many young workers don’t understand the wide range of jobs available in the food processing equipment industry. From engineering design jobs to packaging engineer jobs, from food processing equipment operators to marketing experts, there are a huge number of different career paths available.
Executive search firms say there are five primary executive level positions available in the food processing equipment industry:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Product Management
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
And specifically, food manufacturing jobs are available to people with professional experience in packaging equipment, food processing equipment, food service equipment operation, and serialization and traceability techniques.
Because the food processing and equipment industry is experiencing high growth, there are a number of executive search firms and recruiting services seeking to place qualified candidates. Like in other manufacturing sectors, there are also a number of lower level positions available in addition to executive C-suite level openings for vice presidents, directors, and other kinds of management positions.
Skilled and reliable operators are always in high demand, while many packaging companies require skilled candidates with experience in marketing and engineering.