Manufacturing is the process of producing items, usually in large quantities, so that companies and other entities can use or sell them. It’s a process that transforms raw materials and supplies into polished finished products before they head to the next step of their journey — whether that’s a consumer or another manufacturer that needs parts to create more complex products. A variety of different processes go into the overall activity of manufacturing, including product design, material sourcing and transportation, many of which utilize computing systems to function smoothly and fabricate a final product. Pause for a moment and look around — at the device in your hands or under your fingertips, those items on your desk or the countertop appliances in your kitchen — and you’ll see the end results of manufacturing hard at work.‎

In the interest of satiating your curiosity about how things are made — or in preparing to learn how to make those components in a formal role — studying manufacturing provides structure to your education in a variety of other fields, from research and development to importing and exporting. If you are already in manufacturing, you can grow your career faster if you learn about new manufacturing practices or technology. Whether you envision yourself one day inventing products to help others or you see yourself in a warehouse management role, learning about manufacturing builds a foundation to a variety of careers. It also forms an understanding that manufacturing is the basis of how most things we use regularly end up in our driveways, homes and hands.‎

Because manufacturing involves the design and creation of so many different products, you could find a manufacturing job that matches your interests and/or skills. You might choose to work in the construction aspect of manufacturing, enjoying a job as a product assembler who builds each item. Or you might opt to put your keen eye for details to work as a quality inspector who ensures the finished products meet key standards and are ready to ship out to suppliers. Mechanical and other engineers, on the other hand, start at the beginning of the manufacturing process and design the products and machines that build them using special types of software. Even working as a technician who repairs manufacturing equipment may be an appealing career choice for you. The interests you develop and the skills you explore in online courses can help guide you to a role in manufacturing.‎