A common misconception surrounds manufacturing today: the idea that introducing robotics and other automation equipment into the picture will rapidly dry up the industry’s career opportunities. In fact, automation does the opposite – by creating even MORE demand for human intelligence and ingenuity.

Building and maintaining the factory of the future requires capable individuals who enjoy solving problems and thrive on novelty. While the humdrum jobs of the past may be in short supply as they get transferred to robots, the installing, troubleshooting, and innovating tasks — essentially, the exciting ones — will be desperately in need of takers.

Furthermore, these jobs tend to be safer, pay better, and offer more opportunities for growth. Read on to find out how you can use your skills to thrive in today’s manufacturing job market.

 Have you ever wondered what it’s like to build the factory of the future? From fully autonomous mobile robots to human-like machine vision systems, the things that used to be “science fiction” are now real. What’s more, You can be working alongside them.

It’s obvious that opportunity will be knocking loudly at the door of anyone with a degree in engineering. But did you know that the automation industry also needs people who aren’t engineers? In fact, one of the job titles that’s poised to grow exponentially is automation technician, which you can do with just an associate degree or even a high school diploma.