You're a Plant Operations professional looking to make a career change. What are your options?

2 Operations Consultant

Another option is to become an operations consultant, which is a role that involves providing expert advice and guidance to clients on how to improve their operations, efficiency, and profitability. Operations consultants need to have analytical, strategic, and interpersonal skills, as well as a broad knowledge of various industries and best practices. As a plant operations professional, you already have some of these skills, and you can use your experience of optimizing production processes, reducing costs, and increasing quality to help clients achieve their goals. You might need to develop some additional skills, such as business development, marketing, and presentation skills, to succeed in this role.

3 Maintenance Engineer

A third option is to become a maintenance engineer, which is a role that involves designing, installing, and repairing the machinery and equipment used in production processes. Maintenance engineers need to have technical, mechanical, and electrical skills, as well as a keen eye for detail and troubleshooting. As a plant operations professional, you already have some of these skills, and you can apply your knowledge of how the machines and equipment work, how to prevent breakdowns, and how to perform routine checks and maintenance to this role. You might need to upgrade your qualifications or licenses, depending on the specific industry and regulations you want to work in.

4 Quality Manager

A fourth option is to become a quality manager, which is a role that involves ensuring that the products and services produced by an organization meet the customer expectations and industry standards. Quality managers need to have quality control, auditing, and compliance skills, as well as a customer-oriented and continuous improvement mindset. As a plant operations professional, you already have some of these skills, and you can draw on your experience of monitoring and testing the quality of the output, implementing quality management systems, and complying with the relevant laws and regulations to this role. You might need to acquire some additional certifications or accreditations, such as the Certified Quality Manager (CQM) credential, to demonstrate your competence in this role.

5 Trainer or Instructor

A fifth option is to become a trainer or instructor, which is a role that involves teaching, coaching, and mentoring others on the skills and knowledge related to plant operations. Trainers or instructors need to have educational, instructional, and facilitation skills, as well as a passion for sharing their expertise and helping others learn. As a plant operations professional, you already have some of these skills, and you can use your experience of working in different production environments, using various tools and techniques, and following the best practices and procedures to this role. You might need to obtain some additional credentials or qualifications, such as the Certified Technical Trainer (CTT) certification, to prove your ability to design and deliver effective training programs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?