Stellar Conquest - Starpedia

One major component of stellar commerce and everyday life on a colony is the refinement of resources. In the case of a Factory, the purpose of such a massive structure is to take the raw materials of oil and steel that have been harvested from the surface of planets both new and old, and convert it into usable equipment. The process is largely handled by automated assembly lines; however final inspections and more broad elements of the refining are conducted by workers along the assembly line.

Factory jobs are common amongst the lower classes of citizens as they require little to no experience or expertise in a given field. Though the hours are long and the overall pay is questionable, many colonists who have not found their specific talents or lack any whatsoever, find themselves in this line of work.