Tag: manufacturing. jobs

STEM: THE GATEWAY TO HIGHER PAYING JOBS

Post: Oct. 30, 2018

 

STEM jobs are in demand and they tend to pay well. The growing economy has a heightened need for workers in the core STEM fields, and predictions indicate that STEM jobs will grow at a faster rate between 2014 and 2024 than jobs overall. Analysts are projecting about 9 to 11 percent growth in STEM jobs compared to 6.5 percent growth for jobs overall. These numbers are based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts.

These numbers are largely just projections and are subject to change with the inevitable fluctuations in the economy and industry; but for the most part they are believed to be highly accurate. Not only is demand for jobs in these fields growing but wages are rising as well. In 2015 the Commerce Department found that STEM workers had an average wage that was 29 percent higher than other fields, and that number is expected to have increased since.

Among the most in demand and highest paying jobs are electrical and mechanical engineers, technicians and software developers. Each of these positions have varying educational requirements but demand and pay is expected to grow exponentially in the next 10 years. For a closer look at the staffing needs, pay and level of education required for these jobs click here.

A career path in STEM is promising, but educators need to better inform young adults about these opportunities. Thankfully schools are expanding their curriculum to better serve this need. Right here in the Hudson Valley schools like Pine Bush High School are creating programs to educate students about careers in manufacturing and STEM.

For more information on the demand for jobs in the STEM field read the full article here.  

Tomorrow’s Technology and Skill Sets: A Perpetual State of Flux

Post: Oct. 25, 2018

By Guest Blogger Elisha Tropper

The World Economic Forum recently released their Future of Jobs 2018 report which simultaneously hailed and warned about the imminence of what it refers to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.  This revolution refers to the technological advancement across all aspects of society that will substantially disrupt the labor requirements and, by extension, the workforce and its livelihoods, across all industries. The disruption, according to the study, will ultimately net a positive number of new jobs, but will “entail difficult transitions for millions of workers and the need for proactive investment in developing a new surge of agile learners and skilled talent globally.”

Regardless of which sector of the economy you occupy, it is crystal clear that automation is no longer an option. It must be an essential focus of every single business, from manufacturing and medicine to accounting and transportation. Like transformative implementable philosophies such as Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement, the effective design and execution of automated solutions in any organization can only result from a forward-thinking, company-wide cultural shift. As the WEF study so pointedly observes, the rise in robotics and automation will eliminate human tasks, not jobs.

“As has been the case throughout economic history, such augmentation of existing jobs through technology is expected to create wholly new tasks—from app development to piloting drones to remotely monitoring patient health to certified care workers—opening up opportunities for an entirely new range of livelihoods for workers.”  In other words, employees need not fear for their jobs per se; they need to understand that flexibility and continuous training for new tasks will be the new norm – if it’s not already.

For businesses, the challenge is to strike the balance between maximizing current output, investing in new technologies, and preparing its workforce for a future that will require different skill sets and knowledge bases.  Just as machine operators incrementally replaced manual laborers along the production line, so too will the developers, programmers, builders, and installers of smart technologies replace the current machine operators.  The fact is that the implementation of new technologies drives business growth AND both job creation and the altering of existing positions, but only if the business can provide the proper vision and new-skills-based-training to a motivated and adaptable workforce.

Most companies will face significant challenges as they pursue a new equilibrium. It is inevitable that skill gaps and the disruption they carry will emerge at all levels, from the boardroom to the factory floor.  These skill gaps will have the potential to wreak havoc across companies, workforces, and even entire communities.  It is up to the management of every company to anticipate what is coming, embrace its imminence, and develop transformation plans that encompass solutions at both the process and people level.  The successful companies of the future are those who recognize today the requirements of tomorrow, all the while understanding that both technologies and skill sets are permanently in a perpetual state of flux.

Elisha Tropper is the CEO of Cambridge Security Seals, a Pomona, New York-based manufacturer of tamper-evident security devices.

Manufacturing Company Offers Drug Treatment Program to Applicants

Post: Jul. 27, 2018

Belden, a manufacturing company in Richmond, Indiana, extrudes, weaves, and coats wires that are used in television and Internet installation. The company has been in operation for over a century and is the second largest employer in Wayne County. However, more recently the company is getting attention for their drug treatment program. The program, paid for by the company, allows job applicants who fail the drug screen to receive treatment, and a job offer upon completion.

The drug epidemic is making it increasingly difficult for companies to find qualified workers. Specifically in the manufacturing industry it’s become a challenge to find skilled workers to fill open positions as the current workforce nears retirement age, and even more so when applicants cannot pass drug screens. This program, which is considered to be the first of its kind, gives applicants the chance to improve themselves and the company at the same time. So far they’ve experienced great success and have filled 17 positions though this program in just 4 months.

There are several challenges though, most notably the cost. The initial estimate for treatment was $5,000 per participant, but as with anything there were unanticipated factors that increased the cost further. Some individuals required transportation to the treatment, and participants can’t begin work until they’re drug-free for several months. However, the company is entirely committed to this solution and they feel that the benefits will soon outweigh the costs.

To find out more about the program, and how its help Belden’s employees, you can read the full article here.

Gillibrand Announces Support for Skills Gap Legislation

Post: Mar. 26, 2012

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand cited the Manufacturing Institute’s Survey in making the case for her support of legislation intended to improve the nation’s manufacturing training infrastructure.

Gillibrand referred to the 2011 survey by the Manufacturing Institute and said that “more than 600,000 manufacturing jobs are unfilled due to a shortage of skilled workers. Two-thirds of small business leaders and more than half of all business leaders struggle with recruiting employees with the right education and training.” She noted this was particularly true for what she described as “middle-skill” jobs that require training at a level somewhere between a high school diploma and a four-year college degree.

She continued, “By 2018, 21 of the 30 fastest-growing jobs will require a postsecondary certificate or degree. These jobs make up nearly half of America’s labor market, and nearly half of all of the openings over the next decade for highly compensated jobs.”
Gillibrand on WAMC