Managing Automation - August 2008 - (Page 41)

facturing project manager says. “The schools don’t reinforce the skilled trades.” Maureen Steinwall, president of custom precision thermoplastic injection mold maker Steinwall Inc., also a member of the workforce panel at the recent Progressive Manufacturing Summit, agrees and adds that the lack of support often leads these students to drop out of the system. “They drop out of the school system because it’s not tapping into their creativity or their needs,” she says. Whether a student chooses a path to The next administration needs to “focus on a national agenda for career and technical education.” — Emily DeRocco college or not, the next presidential administration needs to “focus on defining and supporting a national agenda for career and technical education,” says Emily DeRocco, president of The Manufacturing Institute, a not-for-profit group affiliated with NAM that works closely with manufacturing companies to enhance their performance and productivity. “This will ensure [that] students who learn in a different way than traditional academic theory are provided the opportunity to learn real skills and still meet standards for high school graduation,” she says. MORE FINANCIAL AID NEEDED People interviewed for this article and who participated in the competitiveness poll generally agree that more governmental aid is called for to help defray the costs of college for low- and middle-income families. In the words of one survey participant, “Financial aid for education should be the same for all individuals regardless of income. Most families struggle financially regardless of income level, and some have more than one student attending college.” Others suggest incenting students to pursue highly skilled areas in particular. “More scholarship and fellowships can be provided for students engaged in engineering education,” Kreiner says. “In addition, more funding for university research would serve to energize the academic community and expand the research horizon.” Other suggestions include providing lower interest rate federal loans for students studying engineering or math. “Our society tends to tell young people to go for the easy money,” says an engineering manager at a U.S. sheet metal manufacturer, and the long-term benefits of a career in manufacturing are not always apparent. Some survey participants, however, think the role of government in education should be limited to support, as opposed to control, of educational systems. “If the government gets more involved with healthcare and education, it will require more dollars and more regulation and make us less competitive,” says an applications engineer at a U.S. semiconductor manufacturer. “Government needs to take an active role by getting out of the way.” Finally, some people have called for manufacturing companies to resume offering apprenticeships to young people as a way to attract them to the field. “I believe in apprenticeship programs and that not everyone should or needs to go to college,” says an executive at a precision sheet metal fabrication company, noting her European educational background. According to production maintenance outsourcing company Advanced Technology Ser vices, not only are manufacturing jobs being created faster than they can be filled, but compounding the problem is the lack of apprentice programs, which had once served to provide a solid foundation for a career in manufacturing. “The resurrection of these programs is vital to ensuring that young workers are properly trained for specific jobs or trades,” says Jeff Owens, president of ATS. But many companies have abandoned such programs, largely for financial reasons. “Incentives should be awarded to encourage companies to think outside of the box,” says a plant production superintendent at a large U.S. branded food producer and distributor. “Stop doing business as usual.” The 21st century brings a very different global economy than existed at the time many of our nation’s current systems were put in place, DeRocco says. And that is one reason businesses are finding themselves struggling to remain competitive. “Other industrialized and developing nations are rapidly improving their educational systems, recognizing the importance of an educated and skilled workforce as key aspects of taking a key role in a global marketplace.” ■ Photo courtesy: The Manufacturing Institute 41 August 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - August 2008

Managing Automation - August 2008 Contents Take 1 After 18 Months, the Oracle/SAP Suit Has Little Effect on Maintenance Sales At 100, Foxboro Reinvents Around Its Customers New Private Equity Firm Eyes Software A Software Suite Just for Manufacturers i2 Chief Focuses on Services Plan Notes It's Time for Action Examining U.S. Competitveness Leveling the Field An Unhealthy Situation Exploring Alternatives Math and Science: Key to the Future Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - August 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.