How To Become A Production Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a production technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A production technician is someone responsible for ensuring the smooth running of manufacturing processes in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. They work with machinery to assemble, test and troubleshoot products, and ensure that production targets are met while maintaining quality standards. They also conduct routine maintenance and safety checks to prevent accidents. A career as a production technician requires strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work well under pressure.

ScoreProduction TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,550

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.69%

Asian 7.47%

Black or African American 9.51%

Hispanic or Latino 16.77%

Unknown 4.88%

White 60.69%

Gender

female 28.58%

male 71.42%

Age - 46

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 - 46

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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

Pros

Opportunity to work with advanced technology and equipment
Regular schedule and stable income
Continuous learning and development opportunities
Hands-on work can be satisfying and rewarding
Work can be intellectually stimulating

Cons

Physical strain from standing for long periods of time or lifting heavy objects
High-pressure environments with strict deadlines
Difficulty finding a balance between quality and quantity of work
Limited opportunities for creativity or independent decision-making
Work can be stressful and mentally exhausting

Key steps to become a production technician

Explore production technician education requirements

Most common production technician degrees

Bachelor's

34.4 %

Associate

26.8 %

High School Diploma

24.9 %

Start to develop specific production technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Hand Tools	7.38%
Preventative Maintenance	6.05%
Quality Checks	5.11%
Production Equipment	4.83%
Basic Math	4.70%

Complete relevant production technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New production technicians 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 technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real production technician resumes.

Gain additional production technician certifications

Production technician 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 technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for production technicians include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Forklift Safety and Inspector.

More About Certifications

Research production technician duties and responsibilities

Relay to the oncoming shift everything accomplish and the projected workload through use of PowerPoint and excel.
Implement and develop safety standards and operations exceeding those require by OSHA.
Can demonstrate good manual dexterity.
Analyze QC test samples using multisizer machine.

Prepare your production technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your production technician 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 technician 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 technician resume templates

Build a professional production technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your production technician resume.