Is Basic Industries A Good Career Path to Get Into?

Have you ever thought about how produce gets from farm to table? Maybe you have pondered how gas is mined for it to be used in our homes for cooking and our cars for traveling. If any of these thoughts have crossed your mind, then is basic industries a good career path? That is for you to decide as you peruse the below statistics. 

basic industries jobs

Some Examples of Basic Industries

Multiple basic industries supply raw materials to other industries. These include:

  • Agriculture. 
  • Chemistry. 
  • Information Technology.
  • Mining. 
  • Oil rigs. 
  • Pharmaceuticals. 
  • Pulp and paper. 

Agriculture

The basic industries of agriculture involve farmers planting, watering, and harvesting various crops such as fruits, vegetables, and grains that feed our nation. Every farm has its specialty whether a grain farm to make bread, a berry farm, and a vegetable farm. Some agricultural farm companies do a little of all three. 

Fruits and vegetables supply the grocery industry. The grains do that as well, but they can even supply the bakery industry that makes their bread from scratch. Think about how the cotton grown at farms is used to make clothing.                           

According to the USDA, agriculture netted $1.055 trillion in America’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2020 which equates to a 5% share. The basic industry accounted for 0.6% of the GDP with $134.7 billion in financial output. More than that, it is a worldwide industry because everyone needs food and clothes to live comfortably. 

Chemistry

Chemistry stands as the nation’s biggest exporting sector. The basic industry itself gives Americans ⅛ of chemical energy needs worldwide. 

The chemical industry is one of the most important ones to support America’s GDP. It is valued at $768 billion, which equates to 25% of the total GDP. About 96% of goods came from manufacturing in the chemical sector. Overall, 15% of worldwide chemicals are sourced from America. 

The chemistry industry converts these raw resources into chemical solutions for household cleaners and windshield washer fluids for cars. They even get turned into medicines such as contact solution and Pepto Bismol for an upset stomach. 

Information Technology

Information technology helps to reassure that computers, software, and hardware are in operable condition. The nation and world rely heavily on technology. The work in the IT industry helps customer service agencies, big-time companies, and even small businesses to conduct their everyday endeavors. 

Think of the cash register that computes sales and calculates the amount of each payment tendered. Ponder the desktop that needs repair so confidential client files can be saved from getting lost at a doctor’s office.

According to The Brookings Institution, the information technology sector is worth $11.5 trillion on a global scale and accounts for 15.5% of global GDP. The industry itself has grown 2.5 times faster compared to the growth of the global GDP in the past decade and a half. 

Mining

Mining extracts precious metals and materials such as gold, silver, and copper to make silverware, jewelry, and various appliances. Miners also extract different construction materials that form our buildings such as limestone, gypsum, sand, and gravel. 

The National Mining Association says that the mining industry accounts for 3% of the nation’s GDP and is valued at about $700 billion every year. Between 2005 to 2022, it was $378.28 billion with the lowest being $241.8 billion that it netted in 2005. 

Oil Rigs

Oil rigs source natural gas and crude oil directly from the earth’s seabed or surface to use to power cooking gas, vehicle gas, and more. Overall, oil rigs support the vehicle industry, manufacturing industry, and culinary industry. 

Oil rigs have contributed $1.7 trillion to the United States GDP, accounting for 7.9% of it. Over $763 billion of it comes directly from oil rigs while more than $925 billion are indirect sales. 

Pharmaceuticals

The pharmaceutical industry develops, researches, and tests different medications and treatments that cure diseases, relieve symptoms, and vaccinate clients against deadly viruses. Primarily, pharmaceuticals help the drug store industry and doctor’s offices to perform their jobs for ailing patients. 

The pharmaceutical industry comprises $532 billion in worldwide GDP which is 1% of the overall amount. The United States’ value is above $625 billion which is about 3.2% of the national GDP. 

Pulp And Paper

The pulp and paper industry creates raw materials that thicken different foods and create paperboard and printer paper. Hence, the pulp and paper industry helps the food industry and the office industry. 

This industry makes about 70 million tons of paper and board annually. The United States is the top manufacturer of raw pulp material, which is 33% of total worldwide production. The market itself is valued at $34.3 billion. 

The Highest Paying Positions in Basic Industries

So is basic industries a good career path? Let’s take a look at the possible remote jobs for more information. 

Now that you know the sectors of basic industries, you can now scope out for the best jobs available. Here are five of the highest-paying positions in basic industries. Earnings reports are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Chemical Engineer

Hourly Rate: $50.45

Annual Earnings: $105,540

Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field.

Chemical Engineers create chemically-based manufacturing processes to enhance the manufacturing process across multiple industries. They also create safety and health standards for those that handle unsafe chemical substances, so that these individuals can do their job properly without risking their health. 

Health and Safety Engineers

Hourly Rate: $47.48

Annual Earnings: $100,00

Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Health or Engineering or another related field. 

Health and Safety Engineers do almost what Chemical Engineers do with developing safety standards to prevent workers from getting injured or ill on the job. However, Health and Safety Engineers make safety standards a top priority at all times. 

They go around and inspect different manufacturing facilities to be sure that they are within safe operating standards. The engineers compare their findings to the health and safety regulations in place at that establishment. The mandate changes must be made so that the business can get within the standard. 

Geoscientist

Hourly Rate: $40.48

Annual Earnings: $83,384

Required Education: Master’s Degree in Geosciences, Physical Sciences, Natural Resources, or another related field. 

Geoscientists go through in-depth educational coursework and geological fieldwork to prepare for their career. They take their knowledge of structural geology, mathematics, mineralogy, engineering, and petrology to study the Earth. 

They evaluate the Earth’s conditions by taking samples from various surfaces. Geoscientists’ work is integral for writing our history books as each structure evaluated tells stories of what happened in the past, what is going on in the present, and the future of the Earth. 

Agricultural and Food Scientist 

Hourly Rate: $35.78

Annual Earnings: $75,00

Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, or a related field. 

Agricultural and Food Scientists use the powers of food science, microbiology, and other scientifically-based phenomena to make soil and fertilizers for farmers. They evaluate the chemical makeup of the soil and fertilizer so that they can adequately grow fruits, vegetables, cotton, and other crops in farmers’ fields. 

Derrick Operators (Oil Rig Workers)

Hourly Rate: $22.83 (median average salary)

Annual Earnings: $47,584 (median average salary)

Required Education: High school diploma or G.E.D. 

Oil rig workers or Derrick Operators help to extract crude oil and natural gas from the Earth’s seabed and the Earth’s surface. They help to support the oil and gas extraction industry, their work supports mining activities and benefits the utility system construction. 

The Four Sectors of Basic Industries 

Four sectors of basic industries show how raw materials transition into different modes of production. They are known as the primary sector, secondary sector, tertiary sector, and quaternary sector. 

Primary Sector of Basic Industries 

The primary sector is what basic industries are all about: manufacturing raw materials to be used in other manufacturing productions. 

Secondary Sector of Basic Industries 

Processing, construction, and manufacturing are the industries in the secondary sector. They utilize the raw materials from the primary sector that creates the finished products. 

Tertiary Sector of Basic Industries 

Financial companies service clients with computers made in the primary and secondary sectors. The entertainment industry such as movie theaters shows different films and shows for people to have fun. Retailers sell different products such as food, tools, equipment, and machinery for personal and small business clients. 

Quaternary Sector of Basic Industries 

Research and development are the basis of this sector. Education and consulting services also contribute to the quaternary sector. The educational services utilize different industries such as technology, books, and culinary to service youth and college students as they pursue higher learning. Consulting utilizes technology, office supplies, and the telephone industry to conduct its services. 

Final Thoughts

Is basic industries a good career path? If you are interested in helping create raw materials for other industries to use in their product manufacturing, then a job in basic industries could be right for you! Find what you are passionate about and find your dream job in basic industries.