For both parents and kids, there is plenty available here on our NeMAC website to help advise you about the field of manufacturing, and the careers available in it, from pursuing a degree or education in a technical skill.

It’s a little-known fact that manufacturing requires skilled, sophisticated workers and can provide an exciting and challenging career in a variety of areas.

You know it’s important—but just how important is it? Here’s a guide to what you need to know about manufacturing in Nebraska, by the numbers.

• 11.6%: The percentage of total output in the state that manufacturers in Nebraska are responsible for. This output totals approximately $10 billion dollars, and accounts for 79% of Nebraska’s exports. This number has also been rising steadily for the last several years, meaning that Nebraska’s manufacturers today are more integral to the state economy than ever.
• 62,200: This is the total employment in Nebraska related to manufacturing exports. In total, manufacturing employment adds up to 91,600 (that’s 9.7% of the workforce in the entire state). The average annual compensation in manufacturing is $52,935, a number that looks pretty good in comparison to the average annual compensation in nonfarm sectors–$39,088.
• $3,650: The number—in millions of dollars—that puts food, beverage, and tobacco product manufacturing at the top of Nebraska’s manufacturing sectors. Chemical manufacturing rings in second with $1,304, and other top sectors include machinery manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing, primary metal manufacturing, and motor vehicle, body trailer, and parts manufacturing.
• 82%: The number of Nebraska’s manufacturing exporters that are small businesses. The strongest part of Nebraska’s economy is manufactured goods exports, even though the National Association of Manufacturers shares that Nebraska and other states export half as much of their production as the world average! In terms of total state exports, small businesses account for approximately 25%.
• 104%: Since 2003, Nebraska’s manufacturing exports have grown by 104%, even though the national average was a 70% increase.

With the numbers in front of you, it’s easy to see why Nebraska remains so competitive in the field of manufacturing. Especially in terms of a career path, manufacturing offers a stable and potentially lucrative future for those with strong STEM and analytical skills!

(All information provided by the .)

—

Photo credit: