Employment of industrial production managers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2010 to 2020, slower than the average for all occupations. Most of these managers are employed in various manufacturing industries, which are expected to decline as manufacturing continues to experience foreign competition. In addition, the manufacturing process is becoming more automated, which is expected to cause job declines in the field. However, because managers coordinate the work of both workers and machines, their employment is not expected to decline as fast as overall manufacturing employment. Projected employment growth of industrial production managers from 2010 to 2020 in the four manufacturing industries that employ the most industrial production managers is as follows:
| Fabricated metal product manufacturing | 19% |
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | 7 |
| Chemical manufacturing | 1 |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | -6 |
Despite the projected decline in employment, job openings are expected, due to the need to replace workers who retire. Applicants who have a bachelor’s degree in industrial management or business administration should have the best prospects.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition