coordinators work with area employers to assist students with nonpaid work experi- ence, cooperative education and graduate job placement.
This 2013 PRIME school sets high stan- dards for rigorous, focused and engaging study to develop students’ innovative, col- laborative, cooperative and problem-solving skills through the different offerings of the manufacturing program.
Competitive Manufacturing Competitions SME is very supportive of the PRIME program and also supports, along with the Foundation, the concept of focused competi- tive programs, such as the FIRST® Robotics Competition and SkillsUSA, where young people compete locally and nationally. The importance of these competitions is not just who wins, but what life skills the competi- tors are obtaining by participating. Having attended both national finals in 2012, it gave me a better appreciation of how our youth can gain valuable communication and busi- ness acumen just by participating in these prestigious events. The challenge is sup- ported locally. I would encourage all of you
to appeal to your local government, educational and business organizations to support manufacturing skills competitions like FIRST and Skills with the same passion as they do for any athletic or music program.
Many organizations have stepped up to the challenge, and following are examples of what they’ve accomplished: Gene Haas Foundation Awards Scholarships to SkillsUSA Winners to Pursue Technical Education and Become Contribu- tors to US Manufacturing—Many question whether the techni- cal arts, which have traditionally served as the backbone of our nation’s workforce, remain a relevant and viable career option. At the National SkillsUSA Championships, a competi- tion that engages more than 275,000 students in occupation- al, technical, skilled and service-related training programs at the high school and college level, the answer is clear: Not only are they a career option, they are attracting young people who possess incredible drive, talent and innovative thinking. [August 28, 2012, SME Press Release]
Training for the Current Population of Potential Workers is Equally Important Due to the Current Need for 600,000 Work- ers—“Boiling Point? The Skills Gap in U. S. Manufacturing,” notes that the biggest areas of workforce shortage “...are those that impact operations the most and require the most train- ing. From technicians to engineers, the talent crunch in these critical areas is taking its toll on manufacturers’ ability to meet current operation objectives and achieve longer-term goals.” Of manufacturers surveyed by Deloitte, 82% reported moderate to serious gaps in the availability of skilled production candi- dates. Respondents report, on median, that 5% of their jobs remain unfilled “simply because they can’t find people with the right skills.” [2011 Report by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute] SME is very active in providing products and services to both companies, who have a desire to improve a capability of their current workforce, and educational institutions who are reskilling the underemployed. Providing knowledge and train- ing in the right format is the key so students can learn through