Many manufacturers are concerned about the next generation of manufacturing workers. What if we have a manufacturing renaissance and nobody comes? The issues of relevant education, workforce preparedness, and employee demographics have been some of the topics discussed at every gathering of manufacturers in the last decade. We can’t blame the education system completely. They may be on the wrong path in the eyes of manufacturers, but a question remains. What have manufacturers done to change the situation? Besides a lot of complaining, I think the answer is, not much. You need to get involved with the education process or there will be no change, or change not necessarily in your favor. So, what can you do? There are a number of opportunities if you just put in some time and dedication.
The first is to go visit your local schools, talk to the teachers and administrators, visit a class, invite teachers and students to visit your facility. We know from experience that educators know very little about manufacturing. They think it’s a dead end. Once they have a better understanding of what you do and the needs and opportunities available in manufacturing, they begin to realize that the headlines are not all true. The oohs and aahs you get from students seeing a manufacturing plant in operation are cherished responses. They had no idea how or what was happening in your factory.
Once past the introduction to manufacturing, we’ve found that working with educators to identify programs and courses to better prepare students for careers in manufacturing is a positive exercise. Although the wheels of education turn slower than those of industry, change is possible. Being a curriculum adviser to a program at your local high school or Career and Technical Education center is a rewarding experience and helps build trust and understanding between the business and educational communities.
Next, you need to make a commitment to educating the next generation. Internships, job shadowing, and apprenticeships are all appropriate methods for engaging with students. Even a small company, such as Graphicast, can have an impact. We have a college student from Keene State College doing an internship for us. She’s in their Industrial Safety and Environmental program and is helping us comply with the newest safety standards. We also have a high school student doing a job shadowing program. He comes in two afternoons per week to learn about manufacturing. His expressed interest in engineering is getting a real world test, and he’ll know much more about what he wants to do and where he wants to go to college after his time with us.
There are many other areas of advocacy where we can help improve the perception of manufacturing. Developing relationships with local colleges and universities, getting to know your legislators, and testifying on behalf of manufacturing related legislation are several areas of value. As manufacturers, we are faced with many daily challenges that we overcome to advance our companies. The educational and training issue is just another challenge we need to address if we are to prosper in the future.