Frank: There is an active “manufacturing-based” training program for students in Vancouver. Some of the students in afternoon sessions had robotics training and an understanding and passion for manufacturing.
Steve: Whether through Workforce Southwest Washington, Partners in Careers, iTech, or our local high schools, there is a real interest in showing our next generation of workers that manufacturing offers real and viable career opportunities.
Students watch a video about Cadet.
Frank: This generation are the employees of the future. In a competitive job market, we want to make sure their perception of manufacturing is a good one.
Steve: It’s important for us to break the old stereotype of manufacturing as a dark, dirty, dangerous place that requires little thinking or skill. We need to educate the next generation that modern manufacturing is focused on a Lean, high-tech, automated, streamlined, data-driven, future that is able to compete globally. More and more manufacturing is coming back to the U.S., and without this understanding, it will become increasingly difficult to fill the vital positions needed.
Steve and Frank spoke to several groups of students through the day.