Managing Automation - September 2007 - (Page 47)

their ef for t is the one that turns the tide.” Positive results are already apparent. The Manufacturing Is Cool Web site helped the SME Education Foundation boost the number of kids attending its Science, Technology & Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) program more than tenfold, from roughly 200 per year in the first decade to 2,500 in 2007. The foundation expects to expand the schedule even further in 2008. “We had an outdated Web site that we decided to revamp in order to offer middle- and high-school students insight into the world of manufacturing and careers within manufacturing,” says Bart Aslin, director of the SME Education Foundation and project leader. “We see the Web site as an opportunity to educate young people, their parents, and educators about the world of manufacturing and its career opportunities,” he continues. “This will help to reverse the negative image that many have about manufacturing.” Built with Adobe Flash CS3 Professional from Adobe Systems Inc. and housed on a server running a Unix operating system, the Manufacturing Is Cool Web site launched on March 1, 2007. It relies heavily on Flash animation and Flash video to provide an inside look at how kid favorites — such as snacks, fashion, cars, and cell phones — are designed and produced by engineers. It also features video clips of kids’ peers creating radio-controlled airplanes and building computers. Navigation is easy. Users roll the cursor over items arranged on a desktop. Clicking on sunglasses or a wristwatch, for example, leads to a “fabricating fashion” screen where a click on a cosmetic compact leads to a look at the career of Deanna Fell, director of engineering and operations maintenance at Mary Kay, Inc. Fell discusses the importance of teamwork and problem-solving in her position, as well as her experiences, such as being part of the team that built the company’s first manufacturing plant in China. So far, $125,000 has gone into the project, but the Web site’s activities and resources will continue to evolve, Aslin says. In fact, the foundation and Padilla Spear Beardsley, the agency that manages the Web site’s content, are ac- tively seeking video that provides a good “This will help to overview of manufacturing operations. reverse the negative Parents, teachers, and students also can image that many have use the Manufacturing is Cool Web site as a about manufacturing,” resource for information on the SME Educasays Bart Aslin, direction Foundation and its grants and scholartor of the SME ships. The site contains links to the 10-year-old Education Foundation. STEPS program. The weeklong summer camps, held in conjunction with curriculum developer Project Lead the Way, take a fun approach to math, science, engineering, technology, and manufacturing. “The Web site is a tool that will be used by students who attend these camps, as well as students who are part of the Project Lead the Way middle- and highschool program,” Aslin reports. Established in 1979, the SME Education Foundation has a three-faceted mission. In addition to inspiring middle- and high-school students to pursue manufacturing careers, it supports students studying in engineering-related fields, and prepares students through Manufacturing Education Plan (MEP) grants that fund engineering-related programs at colleges and technical schools. Approximately $400,000 in managingautomation.com scholarships is awarded annually. Since 1998, the MEP has providRELATED ARTICLES: ed more than $15.5 million in A New Skills Training Plan Arrives www.managingautomation.com/progressive29 grants and awards to expand or improve manufacturing-related National Priorities www.managingautomation.com/next39 curricula at more than 30 U.S. colleges and universities. ■ Photo courtesy: SME Education Foundation maonline September 2007 47 http://managingautomation.com http://www.managingautomation.com/progressive29 http://www.managingautomation.com/next39

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managing Automation - September 2007

Contents Take 1 Europe’s Automation Chiefs Upbeat on ’08 Business Prospects Vendor Coalition Pushes Human Element of SOA Wireless: Users Still Approaching with Caution One Year Later, IBM Shows Plan for MRO’s Maximo Study: More Work Needed to Lure Next-Gen Talent Executive Q&A Notes Cover Story: 2008 Companies to Watch Special Report: The 2007 Progressive Manufacturing High Achievers Progressive Manufacturer of the Year Business Model Mastery Innovation Mastery Customer Mastery Supply Network Mastery Data & Integration Mastery Education & Training Mastery Operational Excellence Mastery Leadership Mastery Transformation: Orchestrating the Multi-Tier Supply Network Integration: The Timeless Quest for Accurate Data Industries: Maintenance No Longer on Schedule Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - September 2007

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