How to build a career in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing with the right skills

If you’re interested in a trade career that allows you to take part in mechanical innovation, it’s beneficial to know about the career advancement opportunities for tool engineering professionals. In this article, we explain what a Tool Engineer does, and the skills and benefits of the career path that the tool engineers pursue.

With India on the rise as a global manufacturing powerhouse, a career in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing is more lucrative than ever. Building a career in Tool Engineering and Manufacturing is no longer a difficult task, with the right education and job opportunity. If manufacturing is your passion, you can enrol in a diploma program for honing your knowledge and skill. 

As areas of specialization, Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing are integral to any manufacturing activity today. And India’s manufacturing sector is rapidly expanding, accounting for around 20% of the country’s overall GDP. It has the potential to reach one trillion dollars by 2025. The PLI scheme, which was created by the government to boost manufacturing, is estimated to create over 3 million employees in India.

Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing: Roles and responsibilities 

There is a high demand for skilled professionals in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing due to the prospective market expansion. So, major technical training institutions like NTTF are offering diploma programmes in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing. Essentially, this course is a blend of most popular “Tool and Die Making” and “Digital Manufacturing” subjects.

Tool Engineers are responsible for producing tools, die and other parts of machines that are used further to assemble certain products. Having a broad knowledge of machine operations and principles of Mechanical Engineering, the professionals are experts in carrying out work with precision. They also have a high aptitude for mathematics and the ability to read blueprints. Moreover, these professionals also fabricate jigs, fixtures, and devices that hold the metal together while it is drilled, bored or stamped. Tool and Die making also involves the usage of CAD/CAM software to get the required tool or die. 

Simply put, ‘Digital Manufacturing’ is the application of digital technologies to manufacturing. It is all about having the right information, at the right place, at the right time. The goal is to link disparate systems and span processes across all departments and functions within the value chain. By doing so, the entire product lifecycle is impacted – from design to production to servicing of the final product(s). With digital manufacturing systems, each stakeholder gains quicker access to more accurate data. This improves process efficiency and heightens the quality of organizational decision-making.  

These professionals are highly trained and advance throughout their careers by refining their professional focus, earning certifications and attaining higher levels of jobs or even quickly end up as an entrepreneur.

All manufacturing industries, including automotive, electrical, electronics and aerospace sectors, are also looking for tool engineers with strong digital manufacturing skills. Building the necessary skills in the domain will assure rapid professional advancement for you!

Top 10 Must have skills to build a career in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing

To build a lucrative career in the domain, you must build the right skillset. Here are the top 10 must-have skills to build a career in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing,

• Creative and design thinking skills.
• Analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Precision and care for details attitude.
• Physical stamina and high concentration levels.
• Maths and computer skills like CAD.
• Individual, teamwork and communication skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Modern tools usage
• Environment and sustainability conscious.
• Management personality development, ethics and communication

Top 7 In-demand job roles

The job roles in the domain are spread across various manufacturing-related industries including automotive, electrical and electronics, aerospace and healthcare among others. Tool Design Engineer salary in India ranges from ₹ 2.4 Lakhs to ₹ 6.5 Lakhs per annum, with an average annual salary of ₹ 3.4 Lakhs.

Here are 8 in-demand job roles to choose from

• Tool Engineer
• Application Engineer
• Automation Engineer
• Automotive Engineer
• CAD/ CAM Engineer
• Coach/Trainer/Teacher
• Operation Manager
• Product Designer

How to build a career in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing 

After the completion of your 10th or 12th or even an ITI, you can enroll in a Diploma Programme as the first step toward building a career in the domain. 

There are many technical training institutions are offering a Diploma in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing. NTTF, a pioneer in providing the right technical education and training is also offering a specially designed Diploma in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing. So, choosing the right course is critical for your future career growth. 

Here’s what should you look for before enrolling in a diploma programme in “Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing”:

• The course should emphasize more on hands-on training while also maintaining a perfect balance of 70-30 percent in practical and theory.
• It should cover all the necessary skills required to build a career in Tool and Die Making, using the latest manufacturing technologies
• The course should help you develop your all-round technical competency and expose you to modern shop floor tools and techniques such as 5S in lean manufacturing, TPM principles, etc.
• Possibility of pursuing a concurrent degree programme so that you will walk out with dual certification
• The program should have international accreditation
• Last but not the least, the institution offering the programme should also ensure good placements in reputed industries.

NTTF, one of the premier technical training institutions in India, offers a Diploma in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing which is designed and structured to provide you with holistic development and prepare you for a career in Tool and Die Making and Digital Manufacturing. To know more, you can read our detailed article on Diploma In Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing programme by NTTF and visit NTTF’s official website.

After acquiring the right skill set and certification, you will be able to embark on a successful career journey in Tool Engineering and Digital Manufacturing!