Career Explorer Production
Human edge, growing
Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
More resilient than most: more resilient than 73% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $45,850
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 25,900
- People doing it (2025)
- 246,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- Test performance of equipment or systems
- Connect components or supply lines to equipment or tools
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assemble equipment or components
- Position materials or components for assembly
- Mark materials or objects for identification
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as production automation and an increase in the use of robotics should increase efficiency and reduce labor requirements of electrical, electronic and electromechanical assemblers.
- Fewer of these jobs, as production automation and an increase in the use of robotics is expected to increase efficiency and reduce labor requirements of electrical, electronic and electromechanical assemblers.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Food processing workers, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 86, +5.5%
- Production workers, all otherHuman edge, steady, Index 79, +0.8%
- Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tendersHuman edge, steady, Index 78, +2.5%
- Fiberglass laminators and fabricatorsHuman edge, growing, Index 86, +4.6%
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.