{"id":687,"date":"2015-09-30T13:32:38","date_gmt":"2015-09-30T20:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savingusmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=687"},"modified":"2015-09-30T13:32:38","modified_gmt":"2015-09-30T20:32:38","slug":"sme-education-foundation-works-to-grow-next-generation-of-manufacturing-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savingusmanufacturing.com\/blog\/training\/sme-education-foundation-works-to-grow-next-generation-of-manufacturing-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"SME Education Foundation Works to Grow Next Generation of Manufacturing Workers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2015 ManpowerGroup annual Talent Shortage Survey<\/a> reveals that 32% or 1 in 3 of “U.S. employers report difficulties filling job vacancies due to talent shortages,” down 8% from 40% in 2014. This 10th survey shows that “skilled trades remain the hardest to fill for six consecutive years.” Among U.S. employers, 48% acknowledge that talent shortages have a medium to high impact on their business, but few are putting talent strategies in place to address the problem…despite the negative impact on their business.”<\/p>\n

One reason for the shortage is that public misperceptions of advanced manufacturing has led young people entering the workforce to choose other career paths. In an article<\/a> titled, \u201cWhat the shortage in skilled manufacturing workers means to a hungry industry\u201d of the e-newsletter Smart Business, Kika Young, human resources director at Forest City Gear Co. Inc. of Rockford, IL, said \u201cMost people in Gen Y out of high school don\u2019t think of manufacturing as a career or as a good option. They don\u2019t think of it as glamorous; they think of it as dark and dingy and dirty and aren\u2019t interested in going into that.\u201d<\/p>\n

If we want to attract today\u2019s youth to manufacturing careers, we need to change their perceptions about what the manufacturing industry is like and show them what great career opportunities exist in the industry. We need to expose them to the variety of career opportunities in manufacturing and help them realize that manufacturing careers pay 25-50 percent higher than non-manufacturing jobs, so they will choose to be part of modern manufacturing. The spotlight needs to be on the high-tech environment<\/a> of modern manufacturing. New technologies such as 3D printing, robotics, and advanced analytics underscore the reality that a career in manufacturing does not entail working in a dirty, dangerous place that requires no skills.<\/p>\n

SME Education Foundation is working to change the image of manufacturing and prepare youth for careers in advanced manufacturing through its Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education (PRIME\u00ae<\/a>) initiative.<\/p>\n

PRIME\u00ae is a collaborative model that engages regional manufacturers, local schools and other community representatives to establish a tailored advanced manufacturing \/ STEM education that provides high school students with relevant, hands-on knowledge and skills.\u00a0PRIME\u00ae gives manufacturers a voice in education, builds student awareness of manufacturing career pathways, and provides youth with 21st<\/sup> century manufacturing skills, which can lead to industry credentials. Students graduating from the PRIME\u00ae program are often capable of successfully transitioning to the manufacturing workforce immediately upon high school graduation.<\/p>\n

Established in 2011, PRIME\u00ae has grown to 36 schools<\/a> in 21 states, impacting more than 6,500 students annually with 70 percent of graduating PRIME\u00ae seniors pursuing a post secondary education in manufacturing or engineering. SME Education Foundation has also supported 144 PRIME\u00ae students with nearly $400,000 in scholarship awards.<\/p>\n

In my home state of California, there are six PRIME\u00ae schools: Esperanza High School, Hawthorne High School, John Glenn High School, Petaluma High School, Rocklin High School, and San Pasqual High School.<\/p>\n

SME Education Foundation is working to expand its network by working with corporate partners to sponsor the development of new PRIME\u00ae sites at high schools throughout the country.\u00a0\u201cPRIME\u00ae is forging a path to revitalize manufacturing education and fostering the development of a highly skilled, STEM-capable workforce,\u201d said Brian Glowiak, director of the SME Education Foundation. \u201cThrough the support of visionary corporate partners, like Alcoa and Honda, we are helping to create the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technologists and championing one of the most critical elements for innovation success.\u201d<\/p>\n

SME Education Foundation and PRIME\u00ae provide a winning solution for students by offering them opportunities to:<\/p>\n