Careers · Explore one path
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
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. Excludes team or work leaders.
Other titles employers use
Assembly Supervisor · Line Supervisor · Manufacturing Supervisor · Molding Supervisor · Plant Supervisor · Production Manager · Production Supervisor · Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
- Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
- Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
- Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
- Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
- Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and practical work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Time Management
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Subjects to know
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.0 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.0 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 47%
- A certificate or some college 27%
- A two-year degree 13%
- A four-year degree 12%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Internet browser software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Project management software
- Time accounting software
- Word processing software
- Computer aided design CAD software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 67,490
- Job openings each year
- 6,570
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 9.8%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 67,490 | 6,570 | 9.8% |
| California | 52,600 | 4,980 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 32,940 | 3,030 | — |
| Illinois | 32,350 | 3,060 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 28,280 | 2,600 | −1.2% |
| Wisconsin | 28,240 | 2,710 | 6.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 28,190 | 2,630 | 1.4% |
| Georgia | 27,430 | 2,680 | 10.5% |
| Florida | 26,560 | 2,580 | 9.5% |
| Indiana | 25,620 | 2,410 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 24,880 | 2,370 | 5.1% |
| New York | 21,210 | 0 | −8.1% |
| Tennessee | 19,910 | 1,920 | 8.2% |
| Alabama | 17,700 | 1,720 | 9.1% |
| New Jersey | 15,980 | 1,510 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 15,250 | 1,430 | 1.9% |
| Kentucky | 14,890 | 1,410 | 4.8% |
| South Carolina | 14,780 | 1,430 | 8.6% |
| Washington | 14,710 | 1,490 | 5.9% |
| Minnesota | 13,800 | 1,310 | 4.5% |
| Missouri | 12,970 | 1,220 | 2.6% |
| Iowa | 12,410 | 1,190 | 6.4% |
| Arkansas | 11,420 | 1,080 | 4.4% |
| Mississippi | 10,060 | 970 | 8.4% |
| Connecticut | 9,990 | 960 | 6.2% |
| Colorado | 9,790 | 940 | 6.8% |
| Utah | 9,690 | 980 | 18.5% |
| Arizona | 9,660 | 960 | 13.4% |
| Louisiana | 9,340 | 900 | 7.2% |
| Oklahoma | 9,090 | 850 | 2.5% |
| Kansas | 8,730 | 830 | 3.8% |
| Oregon | 8,020 | 780 | 8.8% |
| Maryland | 6,680 | 630 | 4.5% |
| Nebraska | 5,890 | 570 | 6.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 5,440 | 530 | 8.6% |
| Massachusetts | 4,930 | 460 | 1.4% |
| Nevada | 4,920 | 480 | 12.3% |
| Idaho | 4,370 | 430 | 14.7% |
| West Virginia | 3,530 | 330 | 3.8% |
| New Hampshire | 3,460 | 330 | 4.8% |
| Maine | 3,040 | 280 | −2.6% |
| New Mexico | 2,660 | 260 | 11.8% |
| Rhode Island | 2,580 | 250 | 6.6% |
| Montana | 2,040 | 200 | 11.5% |
| South Dakota | 1,930 | 190 | 9.0% |
| North Dakota | 1,750 | 170 | 8.7% |
| Wyoming | 1,710 | 170 | 8.9% |
| Delaware | 1,610 | 160 | 10.3% |
| Vermont | 1,450 | 130 | — |
| Alaska | 670 | 70 | 15.5% |
| District of Columbia | 220 | 20 | — |
| Guam | 150 | 10 | 15.4% |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 5,571
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 2,505
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 2,134
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,008
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 1,657
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 1,523
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 1,519
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
University of Maryland Global Campus
- Degrees each year
- 1,435
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- —
Compare every college offering business administration, management and operations