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Advanced Manufacturing is a diverse, growing industry in the North Far North region. This industry encompasses the creation, repair, and maintenance of equipment used in manufacturing goods.
The Far North and North (Greater Sacramento) subregions have been identified as strategic growth sectors for manufacturing in the Jobs First California Economic Blueprint. Greater Sacramento is a hub for high-tech hardware and software, with 26 times more concentrated semiconductor growth capital in the Greater Sacramento subregion than the U.S. average. Thanks in part to funding from the CHIPS and Science Act and Cal Competes tax credits, the Greater Sacramento area plans to invest over $2 billion in semiconductor projects in the region. Similarly, the Far North’s wealth of natural resources makes it an ideal location to engage in value-added manufacturing.
With the goal of making businesses more competitive, advanced manufacturing utilizes automated, cutting-edge technologies, such as computer numerical control (CNC) machining, 3-D printing, robotics, and Computer-aided design and drafting.
Because advanced manufacturing is utilized in all facets of business – from testing brand-new ideas to getting products to market more cheaply and efficiently – this industry offers a wide array of careers suited to diverse interests and skill sets.
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Priority occupations are in-demand, living-wage careers that can be accessed with community college credentials.
How much will I make per hour?
Lightcast 2026.3; QCEW, non-QCEW, Self-Employed. Compiled by the North/Far North Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
Operate computer-controlled tools, machines, or robots to machine or process parts, tools, or other work pieces made of metal, plastic, wood, stone, or other materials. May also set up and maintain equipment.
Install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.
Apply electrical and electronic theory and related knowledge, usually under the direction of engineering staff, to design, build, repair, adjust, and modify electrical components, circuitry, controls, and machinery for subsequent evaluation and use by engineering staff in making engineering design decisions.
Repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.
Assemble or modify electromechanical equipment or devices, such as servomechanisms, gyros, dynamometers, magnetic drums, tape drives, brakes, control linkage, actuators, and appliances.
Assembler, Electrical Assembler, Electromechanical Assembler, Electromechanical Equipment Assembler, Electronic Assembler, Electronic Technician, Electronics Assembler, Mechanical Assembler, Production Associate, Wiring Technician
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.
Repair, adjust, or install all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems. May also install, dismantle, or move machinery and heavy equipment according to plans.
Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.
Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.
Lubricate machinery, change parts, or perform other routine machinery maintenance.
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
Mold, shape, form, cast, or carve products such as food products, figurines, tile, pipes, and candles consisting of clay, glass, plaster, concrete, stone, or combinations of materials.
Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
The North region encompasses seven counties (El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba).
The Far North region encompasses 15 counties (Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity).
Specialized skills are specific to the occupation, or group of occupations, and represent job-specific competencies.
Technical skills refer to the specific software and technology regularly encountered on the job.
Employability skills (sometimes referred to as “common skills”) are foundational skills that cross occupations and industries. Many common skills, like, communication and team work, are also considered soft skills.