Browse by Career Cluster

The National Career Clusters® Framework serves as an organizing tool for programs, curriculum design and instruction. Career Clusters contain occupations in the same field of work that require similar skills. They can help focus plans towards obtaining the necessary knowledge, competencies, and training for success in a particular career pathway.

Advanced Manufacturing: Production & Automation Save Table: XLSX CSV

Careers centered on the hands-on management and execution of manufacturing processes.
This field involves automation, overseeing production lines, quality control, assembly and product finishing, and ensuring efficient workflow. This Sub-Cluster includes specialized sectors such as processed food and beverage production and textile manufacturing, emphasizing efficiency and adherence to industry standards across diverse production types.
Example programs of study:
  • Apparel & Textile Production
  • Manufacturing Production
  • Process Development
Code
Occupation
51-9191.00Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
17-3021.00Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Bright Outlook Bright Outlook  
11-9041.00Architectural and Engineering Managers Bright Outlook
51-2099.00Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other
17-3027.01Automotive Engineering Technicians
17-2141.02Automotive Engineers Bright Outlook
11-3051.03Biofuels Production Managers
11-9041.01Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers Bright Outlook
11-3051.04Biomass Power Plant Managers
51-7011.00Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
17-3028.00Calibration Technologists and Technicians Bright Outlook
51-9011.00Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
51-8091.00Chemical Plant and System Operators
19-4031.00Chemical Technicians Bright Outlook
51-9192.00Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
51-9161.00Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
51-9162.00Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers Bright Outlook
51-9193.00Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Bright Outlook
51-9021.00Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-9031.00Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
51-9032.00Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
17-3019.00Drafters, All Other
17-3023.00Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
17-2071.00Electrical Engineers Bright Outlook
17-3024.00Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
17-2199.03Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
17-3029.00Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
17-2199.00Engineers, All Other
51-9194.00Etchers and Engravers
51-6091.00Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
51-9041.00Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-6092.00Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
51-2051.00Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
51-1011.00First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
51-3091.00Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
51-3092.00Food Batchmakers Bright Outlook
51-3093.00Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
51-3099.00Food Processing Workers, All Other
19-1032.00Foresters
51-4071.00Foundry Mold and Coremakers
17-2141.01Fuel Cell Engineers Bright Outlook
51-9051.00Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
51-7021.00Furniture Finishers
51-9071.06Gem and Diamond Workers
11-3051.02Geothermal Production Managers
51-9195.04Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers
51-9022.00Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
51-4191.00Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-9198.00Helpers--Production Workers
11-3051.06Hydroelectric Production Managers
17-3026.00Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians
11-3051.00Industrial Production Managers
51-9061.00Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
51-9071.00Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
51-6011.00Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Bright Outlook
51-4192.00Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
51-4041.00Machinists
49-9095.00Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers
17-2131.00Materials Engineers Bright Outlook
17-3013.00Mechanical Drafters
17-3027.00Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
17-2141.00Mechanical Engineers Bright Outlook
17-2199.05Mechatronics Engineers
51-4199.00Metal Workers and Plastic Workers, All Other
51-4051.00Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
17-2199.06Microsystems Engineers
51-9023.00Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-4061.00Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
51-7031.00Model Makers, Wood
51-9195.00Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
51-4072.00Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-4081.00Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
17-2199.09Nanosystems Engineers
17-3026.01Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians
17-3029.01Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
51-9196.00Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-4062.00Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
51-7032.00Patternmakers, Wood
17-2199.07Photonics Engineers
17-3029.08Photonics Technicians
51-4193.00Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
51-9195.05Potters, Manufacturing
51-4052.00Pourers and Casters, Metal
49-9069.00Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other
51-5111.00Prepress Technicians and Workers
51-6021.00Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
51-5113.00Print Binding and Finishing Workers
51-5112.00Printing Press Operators
51-9199.00Production Workers, All Other
19-4099.01Quality Control Analysts Bright Outlook
11-3051.01Quality Control Systems Managers
17-2199.08Robotics Engineers
17-3024.01Robotics Technicians
51-7041.00Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
51-9141.00Semiconductor Processing Technicians Bright Outlook
51-9012.00Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-6031.00Sewing Machine Operators
51-6041.00Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
51-6042.00Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
17-2199.11Solar Energy Systems Engineers
51-9195.03Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing
51-2041.00Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
51-2092.00Team Assemblers
51-6061.00Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
51-6062.00Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-6063.00Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-6064.00Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
51-6099.00Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other
51-9197.00Tire Builders
51-4194.00Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
51-6093.00Upholsterers
51-4121.00Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
17-2199.10Wind Energy Engineers
51-7099.00Woodworkers, All Other
51-7042.00Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Source: National Career Clusters® Framework by Advance CTE (2024 edition).