Since everything is made in China why don’t we want to have the power of making stuff anymore?

[scarabchuck]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

We don't have enough workers with the skills needed to work in an automated manufacturing setting, which is the only way to compete with low wage manufacturing.

Several years ago, a company that manufactures hydraulic pumps and so forth reported that staffing a new plant near Charlotte, NC was proving to be a challenge. IIRC, it was a German company and they were paying decent salaries. They needed 300 workers who could operate and troubleshoot their automated equipment. IIRC, they tested for reading, math skills, problem-solving, and computer skills. They had thousands of applicants, interviewed and tested over 3,000, and only came up with about 100 workers. As I recall, they brought in people from overseas to staff the factory.

The days when a worker could earn a decent living by putting the spare tire in each vehicle as it rolled past are long gone. I suspect it has been at least a decade or more since an actual human did such tasks.

Automation is the future of manufacturing, and requires workers who can operate, trouble shoot, and repair the automated equipment that installs those spare tires.

Way too many workers in our nation do not possess the skills to do this. Over half of community college applicants need to take remedial courses as they don't have the basic academic skills. Retail workers can't count change. US student test scores are way below those from other nations. ...

That our nation's schools are not preparing students to be successful in the age of information is not exactly a secret.

It doesn't help that many in the U.S. look down at education. Their uncle got a good job driving a truck, working in a copper mime, laying carpet, whatever, ... so why bother with education.

I'm reading that the U.S. is making some inroads bringing back manufacturing in certain sectors. However, it is is hard to imagine how we can bring back manufacturing on a large scale if we don't have the workers able to operate these factories.

I don't think that the U.S. looks down on education, I just think the old "learn on the job" mindset took a long time to transition to "you need a degree".

For example, my Grandpa, had only a HS education, I'm not even sure he had a diploma since he was in Normandy when he was 17 (lied about his age). He eventually retired as a supervisor for a local communities road commission.

My dad only had a HS diploma and ended up becoming a skilled tradesperson. He didn't get his degree until he was well into his 40's.

I've only got a HS diploma and started in my career at the bottom, running blueprints. I'm now titled as a "Senior Design Engineer" and for someone to get hired at the company in that position at the company I'm at, one would need a mechanical engineering degree. That lack of a degree though, is holding me back, for the first time in 30 years. The company that I've been working at for 6 years now as a contractor, won't hire me direct without one.

Pretty much everyone I know, is comfortable, all making into the 6 figures, and I can only think of maybe 4 or 5 people with degree's. We are all in our early to mid 50's.

[simplechamp]

Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould

We don't have enough workers with the skills needed to work in an automated manufacturing setting, which is the only way to compete with low wage manufacturing.

I think you hit it on the head.

I work as an instrumentation and controls specialist. Currently work at a power plant but have worked in all kinds of places. Consumer product manufacturing, steel mills, chemical plants, oil and gas plants. The common denominator of all those was management always saying they had a hard time finding good people to support automation and controls.

Years ago I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. I knew I wanted to do something in STEM but going into engineering didn't really do it for me, nor did computer programming. And if I'm being totally honest at that age I didn't have the motivation to commit to a 4yr+ program along with getting saddled with student loans. I saw an advertisement that my local community college was starting up an industrial automation associates degree program. All the classes sounded super interesting to me. PLCs, fluid power, CAD, AC/DC fundamentals, computer networking. So I went through the program. I think only myself and one other person graduated. And they quit offering it due to lack of enrollment. Which was baffling to me because from the research I did it should be a relatively easy and low cost path to a decent paying in demand job.

Going into the job search I got an offer from the first place I applied. They were willing to hire people with pretty minimal education and experience then spend 6 months + doing class room and on-the-job training. That's how bad they needed to get people into the pipeline to meet customer demand. They hired a lot of folks with 2yr degrees and vets that had technical jobs in the military. The pay is very good. I started out making as much or more than a lot of people I knew who went the 4yr degree route. And I don't have any student loans to contend with. You can definitely work your way up to 6 figures with an associate's degree or military job experience. And both companies I've worked for would pay for further education if you wanted it.

I also work with a lot of equipment operators and skilled trades. Those folks make good money too, actually a lot of them make great money. We have union trades where I work now and with OT they clear 6 figures easily.

The jobs are definitely there. And there's a broad range from if you want to run the machine, fix the machine when it breaks, or work on the computer and controls of the machine. The barrier to entry is relatively low and demand relatively high.