Last Friday, October 7, was National Manufacturing Day. Pointing toward that recognition, I participated in a Twitter Chat with PwC (Bob McCutcheon) and The Manufacturing Institute (Jennifer McNelly). I have participated on several of these. It’s pretty interesting. You can search #MFGTalent on Twitter and see the thread.
That same week, Moira Gunn interviewed Dan Mote, president of the National Academy of Engineering, on her NPR radio show TechNation Radio. You can find the podcast on iTunes or other podcatchers.
During the interview, Mote pointed out, “The key to engineering is being creative, not necessarily the math. You must care about solutions.”
I’ve heard it said that engineers are problem solvers. Most of the math I have studied was only partially about manipulating symbols. It was more about logical thinking and solving problems. For an engineer, math is a tool. Logic is life.
Twitter Chat
Here is a transcript of part of the chat we had to give you a flavor. It gets more interesting as people share links and facts.
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Welcome to Tweet Chat concerning manufacturing talent. Please chime in. Now for the first question. Q1 Where do you see a manufacturing skills shortage? Or, would you argue that there is none? #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 As opposed to a skills shortage, we see that there is currently a shift in skillset in the manufacturing workforce #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A1 There is a shortage w/ production workers & high-skill employees. 2/3 see talent shortage worsening in next 3 years. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A1 By 2025, 3 million #mfg jobs will need to be filled and 2 million will go unfilled due to skills gap. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 Factories are getting smarter and the reality is, the next gen of the manufacturing workforce needs to keep up. #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 In fact, high percentage of manufacturers are embracing measures to grow & train a workforce that can keep pace with new tech #MFGTalent
Steve Minter @sgminterIW Do estimates of mfg job shortages account for technology changes? #mfgtalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam .@sgminterIW More than 1/3 of manufacturers said that investing in advanced technology will create jobs. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob Bob McCutcheon Retweeted Steve Minter Industry 4.0 and tech advances are creating a shift in skillset, meaning the type of jobs manufacturers need will change #MFGTalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Following up, Q2 is this just numerical change in jobs or a qualitative change? #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A2 It’s a qualitative change as advanced technology is changing job requirements and descriptions #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A2 Qualitative change! Manufacturers will need skilled workers for advanced manufacturing technologies. #MFGTalent #MFGday16
Shannon Schuyler @ShannonSchuyler We all must work together to create education and training opportunities beyond the classroom for workers to retool their skills #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A2 There will be a change in the type of jobs – high-tech, innovative, and computerized. #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam .@sgminterIW We need strong public-private partnership. Efforts like WIOA help advance collaboration #certification #Mfgtalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob We need continued investment in STEM & training development programs in local communities – what are your thoughts @sgminterIW? #MFGTalent
Mike Dillon @mikedillonsf Worth noting – Diverse companies outcompete those lacking diversity & they make better decisions. Promote #workforce #diversity #MFGTalent
In reply to Bob McCutcheon Steve Minter @sgminterIW Most successful co’s I’ve seen taking initiative and forging strong ties w/ local schools, community colleges, etc @MccutcheonBob #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob Q3 The focus will be put on jobs tied to #Industry40, with skills based on STEM
In reply to Bob McCutcheon Gary Mintchell @garymintchell @MccutcheonBob Bob, STEM knowledge is essential, but I think we miss the mark if it’s not combined with art, music, literature. #MFGTalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Building on Bob and Steve, Q6, how can mfrs attract these STEM students?
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A6 Offer work-based learning like internships & apprenticeships and engage young employees as ambassadors. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A6 Showcase the diverse roles manufacturing can offer! There’s a place for everyone in #mfg. #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A6 Having a strong relationship w/ educational institutions / universities to introduce the many facets of mfg will be key #MFGtalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A6 Manufacturers can recruit STEM students directly from graduation, attend job fairs and provide well-crafted internships #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A6 Check out this Ambassador toolkit to help engage early career leaders @TheMfgInstitute #Mfgtalent #MFGDay16 http://ow.ly/yKld304QKDF
Steve Minter @sgminterIW A6 Manufacturers should also pay attention to onboarding and early career development #mfgtalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell As we wrap up, what excites you about the future of manufacturing, technology, and new talent? #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A career in modern #mfg means great pay, challenging opportunities, the ability to lead and learn for a lifetime. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
In reply to Gary Mintchell
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob @garymintchell The new, exciting products that our manufacturing floors could produce with the help of tech and talent #MFGTalent
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute The future of #manufacturing holds the opportunity to change the world with innovative products! #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
And that seemed to be the best summary. Let’s go change the world.
