Terry M. Iverson Founder C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.-NOW! President and CEO Iverson & Co. Des Plaines, IL
Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way FOCUS ON THE
WorkForce I
nspired by Father’s Day last month I’ve been reflecting on some of the things that my father taught me. One of his pearls of wisdom was to always do your best no matter what you end up doing with your life. I have spent the first 32 years of my machine tool career doing just this. For the next 32 years I choose to take that to the next level, and make a difference in everything that I do. I invite you to consider doing the same and I offer a vehicle to help meet this challenge. Encouraged by customers concerned about the lack of inspired talent entering our industry, I founded an organiza- tion named C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.-NOW. It stands for Change How Advanced Manufacturing’s Perceived In Our Nation! The NOW is the call to action. The concept (www.championnow. org) was conceived while I was on a plane to Washington, DC, for a Career & Technical Education (CTE) Foundation Board Meeting. For years people encouraged me to do something with it because it could possibly be the change agent this country needs.
We have an image problem and not enough students and young people consider our industry as the career-building, family-supporting industry that it is. One misconception is that we no longer make anything. Despite the flow of work and products to China, we still manufacture 20% of the world’s products in this country. We are not and cannot be just a service-related economy. Opportunities abound for those smart enough to rec-
ognize them and skilled enough to pursue a career in the technical arena As an industry, we must find ways to help schools, teach- ers and parents understand that manufacturing has for the most part been transformed into a clean, safe, challenging work environment. There are many promising STEM programs in high schools such as Project Lead the Way and Computer Integrated Manufacturing that will help students find their way into engineering-related fields. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ Education Foundation (SME-EF) is leading the
Regardless of your motivation—for your kid’s and grandkid’s future, the safety and security of your country or just in it for the money—manufacturing is the key to success for all.”
My family also played a role in forming C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.-
NOW. We have been in manufacturing since 1925 and we are currently a fourth-generation operation. Along the way we have supported many families by providing middle-class jobs. We are concerned, however, about the future of our industry. There is a crisis in this country due to the lack of a technically skilled workforce. Even with unemployment figures hovering close to double digits, this country still has 600,000 unfilled skilled positions in manufacturing. On top of this skills gap is the fact that the average age of our workers is 50+ and at some point that tribal knowledge is going to walk out the door.
charge with its Partner Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME) Schools around the country. PRIME schools have strong technical curriculum in place and industry partners willing to advise and mentor students as they proceed through their training.
The SME-EF provides funding and resources to help schools take their programs to the next level. There is not a finer example of something that works and is desperately needed as the Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City, OK, a PRIME school. I recently had the privilege to not only meet the administrators of the Center, but also half a