Digital Manufacturing

Overview

The Digital Manufacturing , Graduate Diploma from University of the Fraser Valley builds on the knowledge you have gained in the Electronics Technician program or an equivalent set of competencies demonstrated through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), a portfolio, a prior recognized credential, or an individual assessment of a credential.

As part of the Digital Manufacturing program, you take a series of intensive courses divided over two standard semesters. The nature of the topics and learning methods involve extended periods on project-related tasks, allowing flexibility to include topics of interest.

Career opportunities:

Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) reports that manufacturing employs 1.7 million people, with an annual compensation of $114 billion — more than any other sector. Currently, 40% of CME’s members experience skill shortages. This number is expected to grow to 60% in five years.

Locally, manufacturing supports 12,000 firms and 400,000 jobs according to City of Abbotsford Economic Development (CAED). As an economic driver, manufacturing provides $8.6 billion in wages, which is 15% higher than the overall average wage for all industries.

High technology is fueling growth in the digital manufacturing sector: CAED reports that in the last 15 years, advanced manufacturing businesses grew over 19% of all firms, to almost 45% of the total manufacturing firms in British Columbia.

Therefore, digital manufacturing grads have excellent employment prospects in a wide variety of enterprises including aerospace, mining, steelmaking, automotive, food processing, wood and paper products, and consumer goods.