Fabrication supervisor vs operation supervisor

The differences between fabrication supervisors and operation supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a fabrication supervisor and an operation supervisor. Additionally, a fabrication supervisor has an average salary of $60,478, which is higher than the $57,279 average annual salary of an operation supervisor.

The top three skills for a fabrication supervisor include continuous improvement, lean manufacturing and employee development. The most important skills for an operation supervisor are logistics, safety procedures, and OSHA.

Fabrication supervisor vs operation supervisor overview

	Fabrication Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Yearly salary	$60,478	$57,279
Hourly rate	$29.08	$27.54
Growth rate	-	6%
Number of jobs	41,404	94,116
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a fabrication supervisor do?

A fabrication supervisor coordinates a team that fabricates materials such as structural steel. They oversee workflow, supervise employees, assign duties, order materials, ensure a safe workplace, improve employee efficiency, and provide leadership. Having production experience, good written and oral communication, decisiveness, computer literacy, time management skills, compassion, negotiation abilities, and an industrial degree are all needed to become a fabrication supervisor.

What does an operation supervisor do?

Operations supervisors manage a specific operations-related team or department. They ensure that all the agreed-upon key performance indicators are being met. They also address any performance challenges and strategize on how to improve different areas in the team. They communicate team goals and balance the organization's requirements with the team's profile. Operations supervisors also manage the employees under their department. They hire for vacancies and train new employees. They also ensure that employees are properly coached for improvement. Operations supervisors are expected to be strategic, personable, and good communicators.

Fabrication supervisor vs operation supervisor salary

Fabrication supervisors and operation supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Fabrication Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Average salary	$60,478	$57,279
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $90,000	Between $37,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	-	Kansas City, KS
Highest paying state	-	Louisiana
Best paying company	-	Ropes & Gray
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between fabrication supervisor and operation supervisor education

There are a few differences between a fabrication supervisor and an operation supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Fabrication Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Fabrication supervisor vs operation supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between fabrication supervisors' and operation supervisors' demographics:

	Fabrication Supervisor	Operation Supervisor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1%	Male, 70.8% Female, 29.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between fabrication supervisor and operation supervisor duties and responsibilities

Fabrication supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage manufacturing department operations to ensure compliance with establish quality specifications, production levels, and FDA regulations.
Lead fabric team to update and prepare FDS, BOM, PLM.
Implement adopt fabrications each season into PLM system.
Create drawings in both AutoCAD 2004 and Solidworks 2002.
Train each welder to obtain various AWS and ASME welding certifications.
Utilize MIG and FCAW welding processes to fabricate roofs for mobile classrooms.

Operation supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage labor and operating expenses to meet budget goals by utilizing KRONOS.
Manage the safety, quality, productivity, OEE, yields, & continuous improvement.
Manage the proper preparation of equipment for mechanical work as well as proper utilization of LOTO system.
Serve as member of HAZMAT team and manage all training, orientation and safety programs for entire facility.
Manage all inbound and outbound of product/inventory, and keep accurate counts in AS400 P.K.M.S warehouse management software.
Manage daily activities of up to 15 staff and up to 50 students at youth rehabilitation boarding facility.

Fabrication supervisor vs operation supervisor skills

Common fabrication supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 10%
Lean Manufacturing, 9%
Employee Development, 8%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Quality Standards, 6%
Safety Standards, 4%

Common operation supervisor skills

Logistics, 7%
Safety Procedures, 7%
OSHA, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

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Fabrication Supervisor
Fabrication Supervisor vs Operation Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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