Careers in this cluster span the life cycle of a product—from sourcing raw materials to be used in manufacturing, to managing inventory of finished products; from coordinating logistics networks to maintaining the vehicles used to transport goods.
Explore careers by their typical level of education below. Click on a career title to see an occupation profile with average pay and other details, plus links to local training programs that can help you prepare.
High school diploma or less, plus some training
A brief training course or on-the-job experience can help you qualify for these jobs. Often, new hires can earn a technical certificate on the job that helps them get promoted.
Aircraft service attendants
Automotive body and related repairers
Bicycle repairers
Bridge and lock tenders
Bus drivers
Cargo and freight agents
Couriers and messengers
Parking attendants
Railroad conductors and yardmasters
Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs
Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
Short-term certificate or associate’s degree
Most jobs in these careers require community or technical college training, related work experience, or an associate’s degree.
Civil or mechanical engineering technicians
Purchasing agents
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Procurement clerks
Vehicle inspectors
Air traffic controllers
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
Automotive service technicians and mechanics
Commercial pilots (cargo, charter flights)
Flight attendants
Mobile heavy equipment mechanics
Ship engineers
Signal and track switch repairers
Commercial divers
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship is a great way to earn a wage while gaining recognized credentials for a career. An apprenticeship is a paid work-based training program that combines on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. Apprenticeships are sometimes offered in fields such as: diesel mechanic, airframe and powerplant mechanic, avionics technician, storage and distribution manager, or truck driver. Visit Apprenticeship.gov and select "Transportation" to learn more.
Bachelor's degree
Earning a four-year degree can qualify you for careers that offer more responsibility and higher pay. Many of these roles include management, planning, or design tasks.
Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers (employed by airlines, passenger flights)
Logisticians
Logistics analysts
Logistics engineers
Marine engineers and naval architects