This is a position that requires the candidate to have good professional qualifications to be able to occupy it. This position is also highly regarded for its growth potential and income level. Let’s find out with Ms. Uptalent what a production engineer is and the progression path from production engineer to production manager through the following article.

CONTENTS
1- What is a production engineer?
2- Career progression from production engineer to production manager
2.1- Understanding the product and the market
2.2- Leadership and management skills
2.3- Business knowledge
2.4- Research skills
2.5- Analytical capacity
2.6- Communication skills
2.7- Ability to organize work
2.8- Be sensitive to changes
3- Difference between production engineer and production manager
4- What skills are FDI companies looking for in the position of production engineer?

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1- What is a production engineer?

Production engineer Also known as Production Engineer. This position is responsible for tracking technical issues in the factory and improving the production line system.

Production engineers will coordinate with production personnel, technicians to jointly develop, install, purchase, maintain and monitor equipment and machinery used in the entire production process. At the same time, they also perform work related to analyzing data and making progress charts and tables.

Due to the continuous nature of the production process, production engineers often work in shifts. Thus, to adapt to this job, you have to be flexible, react quickly to unexpected situations, know how to manage production situations.

The position of production engineer is employed in most manufacturing and processing companies in many different fields. For example, clothing, chemicals, food, components, equipment,…

The working environment of production engineers is quite hot and cramped because there is a system of production lines running non-stop. Because of this, this position has a relatively high salary and is only suitable for men.

2- Career progression from production engineer to production manager

To go from production engineer to production manager, you will have to go through a minimum of 3 to 5 years. Actual time may be longer. Because the long or short time will depend on each industry, enterprise characteristics and each person’s ability.

During this time, you will need to set specific goals to get closer to the position of production manager step by step.

At the same time, you should also reassess your knowledge and skills to see whether or not you have met the requirements commonly encountered in the position of production manager. Then, make a specific study and training plan to be able to master these skills and knowledge.

If you hold the position of Production Engineer and want to progress to Production Manager, you must equip yourself with the following elements:

2.1- Understanding the product and the market

A prerequisite for a production manager is to have a good understanding of the product and the market. Therefore, you must equip yourself with knowledge related to the products, potential markets, customer psychology, and target customers that the company wants to target.

In addition, you also need to clearly understand the product goals and competitor product information.

2.2- Leadership and management skills

The Product Manager is a management level position. Therefore, to move from a production engineer to this position, you need to train in leadership and management skills.

This will help you steer the product development team in the right direction of the business. At the same time, it also helps you recruit, train and supervise your subordinates more effectively.

2.3- Business knowledge

Although you don’t need to have a degree in business administration or finance to qualify for the position of product manager. However, you need to equip yourself with basic business knowledge to be able to build an effective product development strategy.

Specifically, you need to understand the concepts of revenue, profit, budget, cash flow, and income statement. Only then will you understand the movement of the products you develop and be able to achieve your profit goals while maintaining the sustainability of your products.

Additionally, you must also understand the domain and industry knowledge of the company and quickly grasp market needs and trends. From there, identify potential opportunities to increase revenue and profit from the company’s products.

2.4- Research skills

The duties of a Product Manager do not end with product management. In fact, they also have a role in product research and development.

To do this, you will need to hone your research skills. You will need to research the market, competitors, potential customers, and all aspects related to the product. From there, it gives you the most comprehensive view of the product along with the vision and goal of product development.

2.5- Analytical capacity

The product manager must rely on specific data to be able to convince people of the potential of the product. With analytical skills, you will find important data and use it to present the product in the most understandable way to help stakeholders better grasp the information.

2.6- Communication skills

It is an essential skill for a management position such as Product Manager. Therefore, you must master communication skills to be able to smoothly exchange work with people, effectively communicate company plans and strategies to subordinates, and be able to limit obstacles when directing staff to implement implement product development plans.

2.7- Ability to organize work

Product managers need this skill to be able to effectively balance their own work with the tasks of staff. At the same time, it is possible to ensure the arrangement and organization of work in the team in an efficient and scientific manner.

2.8- Be sensitive to changes

The market is constantly changing, new trends are constantly appearing. A good product manager will always be sensitive to market changes and will quickly grasp the right trends to develop products for the company.

3- Difference between production engineer and production manager

The production engineer and the production manager have the following basic differences:

+ Roles and responsibilities

The production engineer is responsible for the technical supervision and improvement of the production line in the factory. They will undertake from design, installation to maintenance and improving the operating efficiency of machinery and equipment systems.

Meanwhile, the Product Manager is responsible for product management and development. They will conduct market research, tap into customer needs, and develop a product strategy for the business.

+ Management level

Product Manager is a management level position, so it has a higher rank than Production Engineer. At the same time, the product manager also has more authority than the production engineer.

+ Scope of work

The work of a production engineer is mainly related to the system of machinery and equipment to meet the production needs of companies. At the same time, the work of the product manager focuses on issues related to the company’s products and services.

4- What skills are FDI companies looking for in the position of production engineer?

FDI companies often expect the production engineer to meet the following requirements:

4.1- Foreign language skills

When working in FDI companies, you will need to communicate and exchange work with foreign bosses and colleagues. If you are not good at foreign languages, you will face many difficulties in your work and may miss opportunities for promotion to higher positions. It is therefore an essential skill for the position of production engineer.

4.2- Expert knowledge

When recruiting production engineers, FDI companies often require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering – electrical engineering, machine building, automation, … and other related disciplines. If the candidate has additional certificates in construction, mechanical or electrical engineering, preference will be given.

This is a mandatory criterion for a manufacturing engineer. Because without proper training, you will not be able to perform the tasks related to the production line in the company.

For this position, employers often require candidates to have at least 1 year of work experience in the technical field. However, there are also companies ready to recruit new graduates who do not have a lot of experience.

4.3- General skills

In addition to professional knowledge and foreign language skills, a production engineer should also possess the following important skills:

– Proficiency in MS Office.

– Analytical and problem solving skills

– Have a good critical mind.

– Communication skills.

– Ability to make quick and accurate decisions.

– Able to work under pressure.

– Good time management and work organization.

– Attention to detail and sense of responsibility in the work.

In this article, Ms. Uptalent shared with the readers information about the Production Engineer and the roadmap for promotion from this position to Production Manager. I hope this information is helpful to those of you who are applying for the Production Engineer position or who are about to rise to higher positions from this position. Good luck!

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