Mark Rice, PE President
Maritime Applied Physics Corp. Baltimore, MD
Baltimore Takes on Manufacturing Challenges FOCUS ON THE
WorkForce F
or those who were not paying attention to the recent election, manufacturing matters and the US has a manufacturing workforce problem. The problem has
several components: Retirement: The baby boom generation is retiring. This generation makes up a disproportionate percentage of the skilled manufacturing labor in America. This is particularly true in specialized fields such as CNC machining, tool and die makers, and electrical trades. Lack of Relevant Computer Skills: Manufacturing jobs
now require computer software and hardware skills that are changing at a pace chronicled by Moore’s Law1
. The process
of reading drawings has largely been replaced with the process of interacting with computer aided design files, finite element models, and kinematic simulations of manufacturing processes. While Generation Y has experience with general computer sys-
hands-on job opportunities, Generation Y is less experienced with electrical and mechanical systems. Stigma: Manufacturing continues to have a dated image. While middle and high school competitions are effective at in- centivizing students in science and math, the relationship to a manufacturing career pathway is not evident to many parents, students, guidance counselors, or teachers. We live with the dull, dirty, and dangerous stigma of 1950s factory work while today’s manufacturing jobs require high levels of training. The mayor of Baltimore recently addressed this issue at the SME Annual Conference where a group of Baltimore City students and their parents attended an interactive fair on the first after- noon of the conference. Train for the Future, not the Past: Advanced manufactur- ing materials and processes are changing the skills required. Whether it is the advent of additive manufacturing, the growth
While Generation Y has extensive experience with general computer systems and social networking, these are not the highly specialized computer skills needed in manufacturing.
tems and social networking, these are not the highly specialized computer skills needed in manufacturing. Manufacturers are among many businesses competing for employees with special- ized computer skills. The evolution of a Semantic Web2 Semantic manufacturing3
and will only increase this trend.
Hands-On Experience: Hands-on vocational technical train- ing has largely disappeared from high school curricula. Fewer high school students have relevant work experience where this knowledge was formerly gained. Whether it is the increas- ing sophistication of automobiles (once the at-home introduc- tion to electromechanics) or the reduction in after-school
1. Moore’s Law:
http://tinyurl.com/mfgengmooreslaw 2. Semantic Web:
http://tinyurl.com/mfgengsemanticweb 3. Semantic Manufacturing:
http://tinyurl.com/OSEMA2012
94
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com | August 2013
of MEMS manufacturing, the rapid introduction of robotics, or the explosion in biomedical manufacturing, the skills needed for the next 30 years will be different than those used in the last 30 years.
Our training programs are often teaching the trades of the past, however. While the Bridgeport milling machine remains an essential part of many manufacturing processes, it may no longer be appropriate as the ubiquitous tool for training future manufacturing professionals.
The US Department of Labor is assisting states with the development of Career Pathways that amalgamate resources, connect educational curricula, and promote stackable creden- tials that can be used by an individual to climb career ladders within his or her working life.
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