What Is Light Industrial Work and Is It Right for You?
December 6th, 2018 Written by: Molly Masterson
If you’ve been searching for new employment in the manufacturing industry, you’ve likely come across the term “light industrial.” The word crops up in job descriptions, job titles, and qualifications, but it may leave you scratching your head wondering:
What exactly is light industrial work? How is it different from the traditional manufacturing, production, or distribution jobs I’m familiar with?
As one of the top light industrial staffing agencies, we’ve helped source top talent for many light industrial job openings. We’re familiar with light industrial work and who makes the best candidates. Below, we’ll help you learn what light industrial work is so you can decide if it’s the right opportunity for you.
What Is Light Industrial Work?
Light industrial work is similar to many jobs you may find in manufacturing or distribution, but occurs on a much smaller scale. For example, light industrial work involves producing or distributing smaller products and parts of larger goods. Because light industrial does not require a large, involved production, this type of work typically:
- Relies more on labor and less on machinery
- Utilizes fewer materials, leading to less waste
- Uses partially produced materials to produce items
As a worker in the light industrial space, you might be responsible for assisting with product assembly, packaging goods and preparing them for shipment, or performing quality control. Plus, light industrial work spans several industries, meaning you could be working in food production, automobile part assembly, home furnishings, and more.
Examples of Light Industrial Jobs
What types of positions and job titles are available in light industrial work? Some common job titles include:
- Electronic Assembler
- Inventory Clerk
- Machine Operator
- Quality Control Tester
- Welder
As you can see with the examples above, light industrial work can involve anything from working on the assembly line and piecing together products to operating the forklift to move materials and load/unload trucks.
How to Tell if You’re a Good Fit for Light Industrial Work
If you already have some experience in the manufacturing industry, light industrial work should sound pretty familiar to you. However, if you’re new to manufacturing and light industrial, you should keep in mind that “light” doesn’t mean “easy.”
In fact, light industrial work is still very physical as it doesn’t utilize as much machinery to get the job done. So, before you apply for a light industrial job, you should keep in mind that the job is just as physical and demanding as a more “heavy” industrial job.
Want to know how you measure up against other light industrial candidates? The best light industrial talent tends to have the following skills:
- Attention to detail
- Flexibility
- Ability to handle small parts and components
- Dependability
These skills ensure that production is efficient and effective, but also shows employers that they can rely on you to get to work and finish tasks on time. Sound like you? Then you’d make a great candidate for a light industrial job.
Light Could Be Right
Light industrial work is very similar to other manufacturing, production, and distribution work you may find in your job search. They’re only “light” because they typically produce parts and components of larger products, allowing them to use smaller production facilities and teams. To get a job involving light industrial work, you still need to make sure you have all of the common manufacturing skills like attention to detail, reliability, dexterity, and more.
If light industrial work sounds ideal for your career, we can help you find those opportunities. See our open light industrial positions and find a job with us.
