One thing you will quickly discover if you get to know people in the manufacturing industry is how busy they are. I guess it should be no surprise that they stalwarts of their local communities in terms of jobs and direct economic output. How so? We'll address that shortly. People in the industry seem to juggle so many balls that they are unable to participate in things like … [Read more...]
Two for Friday – Shop Classes and Positive Shipments
In this weeks edition of Two for Friday we'll discuss the seemingly conflicted relationship in two distinct topics. It's no wonder people get confused about where things are going. This week we were reminded that high paying jobs exist without candidates to fill them and yet un-employment overall remains high. We also learned that in spite of sentiment being low, shipments hit … [Read more...]
Attracting the Right People to Manufacturing with STEM Education
As many of you probably already know, our background is as an IT provider. When we took on the opportunity of being a CIMCO reseller in 2006, it was a practical decision. There was a need for someone to answer the calls, fill the orders and help people with servicing their licenses. At that point we had worked with several machine shops in the IT capacity for many years. Then … [Read more...]
Poll: Where will Tesla Build Their 5 Billion Dollar Battery Factory?
The winner(s) of our poll today won't win accolades or prizes, but with this whole selection process heating up for Tesla, one really has to wonder where it will end up. Tesla bringing large scale battery manufacturing to one lucky south/west US state has big implications. The states said to be in the running are Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. If you follow the news … [Read more...]
The Real Problem with the Investing in American Jobs Walmart Commercial
You may have heard that there is a controversy brewing over one of Walmart's recent commercials advocating on-shoring of jobs and manufacturing. Overall the idea that they are investing $250 billion in American Manufacturing over the next 10 years is a good thing. However there is a problem with the commercial, but it’s not what you might think. It has nothing to do with … [Read more...]
Why the Manufacturing Employment Skills Gap is Irrelevant
There are two vocal positions in the manufacturing jobs debate, particularly as optimism grows around the industry. The first is that there is a skills gap that is slowing hiring and the rise of manufacturing in the USA. The second is that industry exploits a non-existent gap to further an agenda such as allowing more skilled immigrant visas. The truth is that everyone tends to … [Read more...]