How long does it take to become a Production Associate?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a production associate. That is the time it takes to learn specific production associate skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

How much do production associates make?

Production associates make $27,300 per year, on average ($14 per hour). The range, however, can start as low as $23,400 per year to as high as $34,698 per year. Factors such as location and company types can impact how much a production associate can make.

What does a production associate do in a warehouse?

A production associate at a warehouse does many things, including maintaining warehouse equipment and assemblies. Production associates ensure correct quality control of materials and end products produced by a company.

What is a production associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Erin Dougherty

A production associate is responsible for ensuring that the production process runs smoothly and efficiently. They work in manufacturing industries and contribute to all aspects of the production process. Production associates operate machinery, troubleshoot problems, and ensure quality standards. They may also maintain equipment and keep work areas clean and safe. The job requires attention to detail, physical stamina, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

What general advice would you give to a production associate?

Erin Dougherty

Associate Professor of Costume Design Costume Director, Catawba College

Don't underestimate what you can do. Make sure to advocate for yourself, push for the max salary listed once you've been offered the job, and be firm that you meet the qualifications. Talk about the skills you can do, how you can collaborate, and adjacent skill sets that could come into play, including "soft" skills. Don't lie of course, because that will come back to bite you, and facts are really easy to check these days. You need to express self-confidence if you're going to survive in this industry, and overall, be a good person to work with.

ScoreProduction AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,439

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.21%

Asian 5.90%

Black or African American 12.09%

Hispanic or Latino 15.85%

Unknown 4.18%

White 60.77%

Gender

female 43.08%

male 56.92%

Age - 35

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a production associate?

Pros

Steady income
Chance to learn new skills
Job security during economic downturns
Potential for benefits such as healthcare and retirement plans
Sense of accomplishment from completing work

Cons

Repetitive tasks can become monotonous
Production quotas must be met, leading to high-pressure situations
Limited opportunities for creativity or autonomy in work tasks
High-stress situations can lead to workplace conflict or tension
Limited job variation may lead to boredom or dissatisfaction with work

Key steps to become a production associate

Explore production associate education requirements

Most common production associate degrees

High School Diploma

33.4 %

Bachelor's

31.7 %

Associate

19.5 %

Start to develop specific production associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Basic Math	8.02%
Customer Service	7.23%
Math	5.62%
Hand Tools	5.25%
Pallets	4.88%

Complete relevant production associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New production associates learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a production associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real production associate resumes.

Gain additional production associate certifications

Production associate certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific production associate certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for production associates include OSHA Safety Certificate and Forklift Safety and Inspector.

More About Certifications

Research production associate duties and responsibilities

Accomplish collating training for revisions and charts.
Create template tool using HTML and JavaScript to assist change incorporation team with rapid planning deployment and reduce cost per job.
Follow safety regulations relating to OSHA or other company-relate regulations.
Support stringent cleanliness standards for production equipment and manufacturing space.

Prepare your production associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your production associate resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a production associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable production associate resume templates

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