People + technology = manufacturing success
By Raymond A. Kulwiec -- Modern Materials Handling, 2/1/1998
Two press releases hit my desk recently that tie in with our special look at manufacturing in this issue, in advance of National Manufacturing Week in March. The first is from the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM) on its report "Federal Lab-University-Industry Cooperation in Developing Advanced Manufacturing Technologies."Based on a national conference held last October, the report provides a set of guidelines on creating successful partnerships and best-practice examples from national leaders who have experience forming consortia of federal labs, universities, and manufacturers.
Contact NACFAM by phone (202-216-2743) or E-mail (lrbeatty2@aol.com).
As my headline suggests, though, technology is only one part of the equation. The other is qualified people.
"Skilled worker shortages are an across-the-board problem faced by most employers and a serious threat to the future competitiveness of American industry," stated National Association of Manufacturers president Jerry Jasinowski recently.
Jasinowski noted that nearly nine in ten manufacturers (88%) are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers in at least one job category. He stated that much of the fault lies with our nation's educational system and its inability to prepare students for the work world. In addition to in-house programs provided by employers, Jasinowski said that more business involvement in school curriculum development and company/ school partnerships were needed.
There is a lot of work ahead to ensure that manufacturing remains a strong force. Focusing on both parts of the equation will help make sure it happens.
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