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I work at a small machine builder where I’m mostly doing basic drafting and support work. I’m learning, but I’m worried I’m not growing fast enough. How do I keep my career moving forward?
You’re in a great spot to learn a lot quickly. Smaller companies often let you see the full picture, even if your title sounds narrow. Ask to shadow engineers during installations or controls debugging. See if you can sit in on customer calls or quoting discussions. Meanwhile, stay sharp with self-guided learning through online courses, automation forums (like this one!), free webinars and articles (this website offers both!). You’re building momentum that will open doors.
I’m not in the automation industry at all, but I came to Automate this year and was blown away. How do I even begin to pivot into a field like this?
That’s awesome! We are so happy you enjoyed Automate and are interested in a career in automation. Many of us came from other industries. Start by narrowing your interests: robotics, vision, AI, manufacturing, safety? Then start exploring job titles (like applications engineer, controls tech, robot programmer, project manager). A3’s webinars (free) and online training are a great introduction. And don’t underestimate your current skills either. Automation needs communicators, planners, coders, tinkerers, and curious minds from all walks of life.