This installment of our @matec newsletter article ”Education Challenges in the 21st Century”, inspired by Cathleen Barton’s presentation at the HI-TEC 2009 event, focuses on the “Public View on Manufacturing”. A recent study, commissioned by Deloitte LLP and The Manufacturing Institute, shows that Americans view manufacturing as the most important industry for a strong national economy. However, there is a wide perception gap between the public’s highly positive views of manufacturing’s contributions to America’s economic success and their negative views of manufacturing careers. While the majority want to see a strong U.S. manufacturing base and believe that it is important to our standard of living, only 17% named it among their top career fields, and only 30% of parents said they would encourage their children to pursue jobs in manufacturing.
Emily DeRocco, President of The Manufacturing Institute commented that, “People have an outdated image of manufacturing and the career opportunities available. Cutting-edge technology has transformed manufacturing in ways that are hard to imagine if you haven’t visited a factory lately. Jobs now require postsecondary education, skills certification and credentials across a broad range of high-quality, middle-class career paths. The reality is that manufacturers offer high-paying jobs and rewarding careers for American working men and women. Our job is to close the gap between perception and reality, which will help fuel the industry’s growth and prosperity.”
How can we as educators and industry leaders help transform the perception of manufacturing from the dull, dirty jobs of yesterday to the high-tech careers of today? We invite you to post your thoughts.
To read more about the study, visit www.deloitte.com/us/mfgimageindex.
Find classroom resources designed to inform and excite students about manufacturing careers in NetWorks Digital Library, Keyword Search:  “Manufacturing Careers”.
 

Lara Smith