Shop supervisors
handle a wide range of duties.
A shop supervisor is someone who manages a manufacturing plant. Shop supervisors are in charge of hiring, training and organizing a staff, and making sure their employees understand the company's mission. They must be well-rounded and able to multitask, and prepared to work with managers of other departments, such as sales, marketing and logistics.
Basics
Shop supervisors are expected to be experts on the products being manufactured. They also must keep their workers motivated, focused on the shop's goals and operating as a team. Shop supervisors monitor performance, coordinate workflow and make sure the plant operates efficiently, so that the items being produced are functioning properly and ready for sale. Since many shops are open 24 hours, supervisors can work long and odd hours that include evenings and weekends.
Skills
A shop supervisor must be an expert when it comes to the item or merchandise being produced. He should be a strong communicator, organized, motivated and feel comfortable delegating. Since he is training a staff, he also likely will need to possess some teaching skills and patience. Most shop supervisors have managers above them, meaning they also need to be able to follow instructions themselves.
Background
There are no set requirements to become a shop supervisor. Most shops prefer candidates with a high school diploma or the equivalent. Some employers merely expect their supervisors to have displayed success at the lower levels, as well as a strong knowledge of the products or services being manufactured in their shop. Occasionally, a shop supervisor will need to have obtained a college degree, with an emphasis on courses in administration, business, marketing, finance and communications.
Prospects
More than 156,000 workers were employed as shop supervisors in May 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But jobs are expected to decrease by 8 percent during the 2008-18 decade, the BLS reported. The reason for the decline, according to the BLS, "will result from improved productivity and increased imports of manufactured goods."
Earnings
Shop supervisors earned anywhere from $41,000 to more than $74,000 in February 2010, according to PayScale.com. Much of those earnings were based on the supervisor's experience and industry in which she worked. Meanwhile, the BLS reported that some shop supervisors earned as much as $97,860 per year in May 2008.
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