Ever since the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing has been a large part of the global economy. From the 18th-century cotton mills in Manchester to the 19th-century steel foundries in Michigan, the silicon chip production lines in 20th-century California and the 21st-century solar panel factories in China, much of the world’s wealth has been generated by the production, distribution, and purchase of things. Even in today’s on-line era, where entire economic systems are run in virtual environments, there is a need for people to do the actual physical labor of manufacturing, whether that labor is fitting parts together or programming a robot to do the assembly. Labor management, union organizations, health and safety oversight groups, and human resources specialists are all integral parts of the manufacturing industry. We’ve found three words in the news this week that you should know if you’re considering a job in manufacturing:

• export
• innovation
• prototype

The manufacturing industry runs on a large scale, as opposed to the small-scale “cottage industry” that it replaced, where a few people would take a small amount of raw materials and make a few products at a time for sale to others, at home, usually using things they grew or raised themselves. However, this form of manufacturing is impractical on a large scale, when vast amounts of wool or cotton are moved from many places to one central location for processing. Once the finished products – wool sweaters, perhaps – are ready, there are many more than the local population can use, and so they become an export item and are sent to other markets around the world. To “export” means to send to another country for sale. In this example, the wool used in the manufacturing may have been imported, or brought in from another country.

Even after so many thousands of years of people knitting sweaters, there aren’t that many different types: you can have a high neck on one, or short sleeves on another, but they all follow the same basic pattern. In other industries, though, there are new forms and models of products being developed every year. In fact, the pace of innovation in the computer industry is so fast that new programs often won’t run on older systems. “Innovation” means creating something new, advanced, or different. This word comes from the Latin novus, meaning “new”, as does the word novel (adj.).

When someone invents something innovative, they often create a prototype of that invention that can be used as an example in future manufacturing. This prototype is the standard model that all of the subsequent production is based on, though future modification may be made.

Whether you’re a creative genius, a natural manager, or just enjoy working with your hands, the manufacturing industry is a good place to look for work, and your job search will be easier if you take the time to learn the terminology of the particular industry you’re interested in.