Author Archive
The Noble Cause of Manufacturing
Once only royalty enjoyed extraordinary conveniences, today the extraordinary is the ordinary thanks to manufacturing.
By Ronald Bennett, Executive Director, Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence
Imagine you are King in the 16th Century. You live in a cold, stone palace with no central air or heat. There’s no running water or indoor plumbing. With no radio, television or newspapers to keep you informed, the world seems small and isolated.
Fast forward to the 21st Century. We have comfortable, climate controlled homes. We turn a faucet and water comes out. The world’s events are literally at our fingertips 24 hours a day. Thanks to technological advances, many of us now live better than the royalty of the past, even on modest incomes. The industry that makes this possible? Manufacturing.
Manufacturing is the life sustaining force that touches every single thing around you—from the furnace in your home to your laptop computer to the pacemaker that may someday save your life. Manufacturers are central in creating a better, more convenient, cleaner and healthier life; but few of us focus on the positives, and that’s a mistake.
To reach and recruit the next generation of would-be manufacturers, it is imperative that we—the old guard—talk about the benefits of a job in manufacturing, rather than just its features. When reaching out to young people, talk about manufacturing’s role in the stewardship of our planet through recycling and eco-friendly practices. Talk about it helps people in need through bio-manufacturing and work in the health industry. Play up the myriad products that make people’s lives better and create a safer world.
To talk the talk, of course, we must walk the walk. Jump on the green bandwagon by using lean and sustainable practices to conserve nature’s precious resources. Open your minds—and the doors of your shop—to new technology, energy and water conservation, affordable health care and other modern elements. Not only will you attract the best and brightest of today’s generation, you’ll be involved in work that is rewarding. And, you may even boost that bottom line.
If you are still skeptical about your role in creating a better world, here’s some food for thought: You may just stamp hinges in your factory, but somewhere down the supply chain, you’re contributing to an energy-efficient freezer. You may just solder circuits, but the pacemaker you helped create saves lives. You get the idea.
What does your manufacturing operation do to benefit mankind? If you can make that clear, you stand a good chance of attracting the talent you’ll need this century to have a sustainable business, maximize Minnesota’s competitiveness and maybe even change the world.
Friday Camps at South Central College Increase Pipeline
South Central College is working to increase the pipeline of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, or math careers one Friday at a time. SCC’s Friday Camp offers high school students the opportunity to spend a day involved in either the Computer Integrated Machining Program or the new Mechatronics Program at the North Mankato campus.
Suzanne Nordblom, Dean of Engineering and Construction Technology at SCC, said the idea for Friday Camp came from brainstorming sessions about how to get more students interested in STEM-related programs. “Faculty routinely visited students at their schools, but we were looking to try something new. We wanted to create an experience for students on our campus where they could gain hands-on practice with some of our programs,” she said.
The Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence has been involved in Friday Camp from the beginning. As the idea took shape, SCC requested and received financial support from MNCEME. Nordblom said, “MNCEME grants provide funding for project materials fees and lunch. Their support allows us to offer the Friday Camp to schools free of charge.”
Jeff Fischer, SCC Computer Integrated Machining instructor who was instrumental in getting the Friday Camp program started, works to give visiting students the best experience possible. And it seems to be working. “Students use design and fabrication software to machine a piece of aluminum. The excitement in the room during the project is palpable. It is almost like Christmas morning when the students see their piece produced,” said Fischer. In addition to the hands-on project, the Camp includes lunch with a presentation from the civil engineering faculty and a campus tour including production labs and recreation facilities.
Friday Camp is a lot more exciting than having an SCC instructor stand in front of the class and explain their program—no matter how dynamic the instructor may be. “We know the Friday Camp is effective as a recruitment tool because we have former Friday Camp attendees who are enrolled in our CIM program,” said Fischer. “These college students now help with Camp, mentoring students from their alma mater and other high schools.”
Fischer is impressed with the caliber of students who participate. “It is unbelievable how quickly they can retrain themselves and learn new software,” said Fischer. “And they ask amazingly well-thought-out questions about industry software, wages and long-term career options.”
In return, high schools seem to be impressed with Friday Camp, some visiting several times. “The response to the Camp has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Nordblom. Currently, Friday Camp is offered five or six times per semester; however, demand is growing and special requests, such as a girls-only camp, are being made. Although the program is only available with either the Computer Integrated Machining Program or the new Mechatronics Program at this time, SCC is eager to expand and include other programs.
Getting trained and qualified people into the manufacturing and engineering workforce is vital to Minnesota’s economic growth. And Friday Camp is another innovative example of how MNCEME members are working to increase the pipeline of students pursuing STEM-related careers.
