Pros and Cons of Working in a Cleanroom

Just like every job, working in a cleanroom has its pros and its cons. Clean rooms are most generally associated with computer manufacturers, however there are a variety of different industries that make use of cleanrooms. Regardless of what industry you are looking into, all clean room jobs carry similar benefits and drawbacks. Here is a quick look at why people do and don't like working in cleanrooms.

Pros and Cons of Working in a Cleanroom

Pros

1. Low Barrier to Entry

Most cleanroom jobs are considered to be entry level. These entry level positions tend to require very few prerequisites in order to qualify for a position. This is because many of these jobs require very few special skills and are considered to be more labor intensive. Additionally, the processes used in this type of manufacturing can often be taught and learned relatively quickly.

2. Increased Job Security

Although these jobs require little training, once you have a secured position, your job security is very high. This is especially true as you gain experience. Manufacturing jobs, as with many labor intensive jobs, can have a high turnover rate. If you can stick with it, you can enjoy long term job security.

3. Getting Promoted

Many cleanroom environments are very conducive to promoting from within. Since you learn all of the necessary skills on the job, promoting from within only makes sense. Additionally, by gaining experience, you are well suited to look for higher paying cleanroom jobs across a variety of industries.

Cons

1. Rules

Working in a cleanroom environment necessarily means that you will be subject to a far greater number of rules than if you were working in a more traditional manufacturing environment. Many people feel that these rules are too restrictive, however they are necessary to keep a cleanroom clean. The largest set of rules apply to what you wear and how you dress. In most cases, you will wear a "bunny suit", which is a full body suit. These can get very uncomfortable and hot as the day wears on.

2. Cleaning

As the name implies, a cleanroom must be kept clean and this will often be your responsibility as well. You will not only be responsible for the cleaning of products, such as semiconductors, but also keeping the surrounding environment clean as well. This will require constant attention to detail on your part.

3. Dangerous Chemicals

Many cleanrooms have high levels of dangerous chemicals. While the level of chemicals must stay below the regulations set forth by OSHA, many people contend that these levels do not take into consideration the actual working environment. The regulations for chemical A were set based upon the assumption that you will only be exposed to chemical A. In reality, you will be exposed to chemical A, B, C, and D. This means that federal regulations may not fully protect you.

There are both pros and cons of working in a cleanroom that need to be considered before deciding whether or not it is right for you. Every position is unique and it is important to gather additional information based upon specific positions, however these three pros and cons are considered to be fairly universal