DEBUNKING THE MYTHS ABOUT MANUFACTURING

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SURVEY RESULTS SHOW IT’S TIME TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT HOW INDUSTRY INNOVATION IS CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE

If the word “manufacturing” conjures up images of smoke stacks and repetitive assembly lines, you’re not alone. A new survey of American parents conducted by manufacturing industry leader SME shows it’s time for moms, dads and the rest of us to take a fresh look at an industry that’s changing at lightning speed.

Some of the survey’s key findings:

More than 20% of parents view manufacturing as an outdated and/or dirty work environment
Only 43% percent of parents believe manufacturing requires some form of education beyond high school.
Half of all respondents do not see manufacturing as an exciting, challenging or engaging profession.
The facts:

Today’s manufacturing environments look more like clean rooms or lab settings with an emphasis on being “green.” Today, more than 150 auto manufacturing facilities are landfill-free operations.
Manufacturing offers career opportunities for every education level ranging from skilled trades that require a high school diploma or GED to engineers, designers and programmers with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and researchers and scientists with PhDs.
Technological advancements are yielding well-paying careers – the average U.S. manufacturing worker makes $77,506. The use of 3D design and computer-aided engineering software is attracting students interested in non-traditional careers such as game design and animatronics.
Other industry truths…

Many advances are taking place in additive manufacturing. That includes 3D printing, which has been used to create everything from aircraft parts to custom medical devices. The global 3D printing market is expected to grow from $1.6B in 2015 to $13.4B in 2018.
For every $1 spent in manufacturing, another $1.37 is added to the economy – the highest multiplier effect of any economic sector.
Manufacturing net employment gained 31,000 jobs in Q2 2015 – the 10th consecutive quarter without a net loss of employment.
An estimated 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will become available in the next 10 years – but without the right skilled workers for the jobs, an estimated 2 million of those jobs could go unfulfilled.
Executives from two leading industry organizations – SME and TCT – discuss what their new international partnership means not only for the world of 3D technologies, but for the North American and global economy. They also discuss the results of the SME survey being released April 13th, which revealed discrepancies in parents’ perceptions of the reality of manufacturing careers.

Debbie Holton, SME Director of Events & Industry Strategy: Ms. Holton has been part of Michigan-based SME since 1990 and her role includes connecting manufacturers with leading technologies and applications, and advancing business relationships. She also leads the team responsible for 20 manufacturing tradeshows and conferences, including RAPID, a leading 3D technology event. These events bring together major manufacturers, suppliers and industry organizations to identify key manufacturing challenges and solutions.

Duncan Wood, Rapid News Communications Group Chief Operator Officer: Based in the United Kingdom, Mr. Wood has witnessed 18 years of changes in the world of 3D printing including innovations showcased through TCT. TCT’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of 3D technologies for design, development and manufacturing across all industry sectors.

This interview is sponsored by SME: SME has a rich and evolving heritage spanning more than 80 years. We serve the manufacturing industry as a nonprofit by promoting advanced manufacturing technology and developing a skilled workforce. And, we work closely with manufacturers to share knowledge and resources that generate solutions meeting industry demands. For more information, visit sme.org

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