Skills & competences

Description

Mining, manufacturing and construction supervisors coordinate, supervise, control and schedule the activities of workers in manufacturing, mining and construction operations.
Tasks performed usually include: overseeing, supervising and coordinating the activities of tradespersons, process control technicians, machine operators, assemblers, labourers and other workers; organizing and planning daily work; preparing cost estimates, records and reports; identifying shortages of staff or supplies; ensuring safety of workers; instructing and training new staff.
Occupations in this minor group are classified into the following unit groups:
3121 Mining Supervisors
3122 Manufacturing Supervisors
3123 Construction Supervisors
Notes
Jobs classified in Minor Group 312: Mining, Manufacturing and Construction Supervisors mainly involve planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling and directing the work done by others. Most of the time workers employed in these jobs do not perform the tasks performed by those they supervise, although they frequently have extensive experience in performance of these tasks. Those who carry out the tasks and duties of the jobs they supervise, in addition to controlling the technical quality of the work done by others, should be classified with the workers they supervise. These supervisory jobs often are called “foremen/women” or “team leaders”.
In distinguishing between managers classified in Major Group 1: Managers, and supervisors, classified in other major groups, it should be noted that both managers and supervisors may plan, organize, coordinate, control and direct the work done by others. In addition, managers usually have responsibility for and make decisions about: the overall strategic and operational direction of a business or organizational unit (for example about the kinds, quantity and quality of goods to be produced); budgets (how much money is to be spent and for what purposes); and the selection, appointment and dismissal of staff. Supervisors may provide advice and assistance to managers on these matters, especially in relation to staff selection and dismissal, but do not have authority to make decisions.
It should be noted that it is not a necessary condition that managers have responsibility for all three of strategic and operational direction, budgets and staff selection and dismissal. The degree of autonomy they exercise may also vary. The critical difference is that supervisors are responsible only for the supervision of the activities of other workers, whereas managers have overall responsibility for the operations of an organizational unit.