Case studies: Production manager: Alex

Alex is a production manager for an aerospace company. His main responsibility is to ensure that new products are produced in an efficient and cost-effective way.

If you want a career in production management, I would advise you to do a placement when you are still a student, be organised and learn how to be a good manager (technical knowledge is not enough).

I did an industrial placement at the company I now work for and I started working there full-time as a production engineer after my graduation. I was promoted to production manager eight months ago. I have an aerospace manufacturing engineering degree which has equipped me with the technical knowledge necessary to perform a great range of technical tasks. I also attended some internal training on management skills once I got promoted. In addition to the skills I developed through my degree, the industrial placement gave me some valuable hands-on experience.

I have been with my current employer for three years. My role has developed a lot within this time. I was transferred internally twice which gave me a better understanding of the company’s functions and I was also promoted to production manager. A typical day in my job involves estimating costs and lead times, managing the installation of new machinery and equipment and working with the engineering team to help resolve various production problems. In general I have to ensure that the production of new products is on schedule and deal with emergency issues such as machinery breakdowns. My current role requires good people management skills together with attention to detail and organisational skills.

I really enjoy my job. The most favourable part is that every day is different. I also need to keep my technical knowledge up to date which is very important for my personal career development. The least favourable part is the stress levels when everything goes wrong.

I have been with my current employer for four years including my placement, so I have recently decided to take some time off travelling. I also have a job offer for a similar role but in Toulouse, so I am about to finalise the agreement and start working there when I come back. In the future I’d like to progress to senior production manager in bigger manufacturing sites.