Skip navigation

First-Line Supervisors of Production & Operating Workers

Also called: Manufacturing Supervisor, Production Supervisor, Shift Supervisor, Team Leader

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
  • Direct and coordinate the activities of employees engaged in the production or processing of goods, such as inspectors, machine setters, or fabricators.
  • Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.

Knowledge

Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products
Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical
  • product and service development
Business
  • management
  • human resources (HR)
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions
  • understanding people's reactions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems
Attention
  • do two or more things at the same time
  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
  • Leadership
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Concern for Others

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Enterprise resource planning ERP software Hot Technology
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Hot Technology
  • SAP Hot Technology
Internet browser software
  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
Electronic mail software
  • IBM Notes Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 2 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$57,780
per year, on average
Green
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about first-line supervisors of production and operating workers.