Manufacturing workers in Florida make an average of $3,786 more per year than other employees, according to a report released Thursday.
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The average was for a manufacturing job is $18 an hour, compared with $16.17 for other jobs, reported the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C.
Manufacturing jobs make up 4.2 percent of total employment in Florida, which ranks 44th in the nation in its share of manufacturing jobs.
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The report "makes clear just how crucial the manufacturing sector is to the nation's economy," said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. "Manufacturing's wage premium is a clear path to the middle class."
Entry-level machinists in South Florida earn $16 to $18 an hour. After 10 to 12 years, machinists can earn $20 to $25 an hour, according to Dennis Battistella, coordinator for the South Florida Manufacturers Association's apprentice program with Atlantic Technical College in Coconut Creek.
Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth also provides machinist and other technical job training.
The EPI study, "The Manufacturing Footprint and the Importance of U.S. Manufacturing Jobs," found that the sector employed 12 million workers in 2013, or about 8.8 percent of total U.S. employment, including a higher overall share of workers without a college degree.On average, these workers made 10.9 percent, or $1.78 an hour, more than similar workers elsewhere in the economy.
In addition to the 12 million people employed in U.S. manufacturing, the sector supports some 17.1 million indirect jobs, for a total of 29.1 million jobs directly and indirectly supported — more than one fifth of total U.S. employment in 2013.
South Florida’s Machinist Apprenticeship Program is catching on. After only five years of existence the recently graduated four apprentices add to the nine who graduated last year. There are now 44 machinist apprentices training at the Atlantic Technical College after a new group of 16 just started this month. The program has grown from four or five dedicated pioneering companies to now 15 participating companies, including four new members this term. With the growth of this program, ATC has been able to purchase two new HAAS CNC’s and the apprenticeship program itself has purchased a manual lathe to add to the shop equipment. The program has room to grow and recommends that all of you manufacturers with machining at your firm to stop by and see how the program can help you. Contact Dennis B at or at 954-292-0040. ..and, Let the chips fly!