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Workforce Development 50 MoldMaking Technology —— AUGUST 2016 Mike Katz, president of Port Washington, Wisconsin's Molded Dimensions Inc., a custom molder of rubber and polyurethane components, believes that manufacturers and their propensity to down- size as a first resort when busi- ness slows bear some responsi- bility for the problem. "I've been in manufacturing since 1989 and worked in eight different facilities. One thing each of these was really good at was laying people off and, thanks to our access to instant information such as customer- demand cycles and future order data, laying them off quickly," he says. "I'm not saying we should never shed five people so the other 80 can eat, but we need to keep in mind the impact that layoffs have on the perceptions of those considering careers in manufacturing." In addition to doing their part to ensure that jobs in manu- facturing are stable and secure, manufacturers must play a role in familiarizing those outside the industrial community with the manufacturing environment of today. The Manufacturing Institute/Deloitte study also concluded that those who exhib- ited a higher level of manufacturing-industry familiarity ranked manufacturing third on the list of industry preferences, behind only technology and health care. The resulting conclu- sion is that, while manufacturing suffers a public relations problem among young people, its popularity grows consider- ably once those young people become familiar with potential manufacturing careers. Many people have concluded that, in order to get young people interested in careers in manufacturing, their parents, guidance counselors, teachers, coaches and others influencing career decisions must be educated about financial and other benefits of choosing manufacturing as a career. However, while these individuals certainly have an impact on career decisions, a 2015 survey of more than 23,000 high school stu- dents and teachers by Skills USA, the Educational Research Center of America and The Manufacturing Institute indicates that there is one other factor that has a far more significant impact on a student's career path. More than any other single factor—three times more than any other—a student's own interests and experiences have the greatest impact on his or her future career pathway. So, in order to fill the skills gap, it is necessary for young people to be exposed to manufacturing career options while their potential career preferences are forming. Are manufacturers doing their part? During an industrial trade show for OEMs and contract manufacturers in Orlando, Florida, in February 2016, a 200-member audience was asked how many had attended their local high school's career day, invited a group of high school students to tour their facility or mentored a high school student regarding manufacturing as a career choice. Fewer than five attendees could answer yes to any of these three questions. Custom molder Molded Dimensions Inc. believes in helping the next generation become familiar with potential manufacturing careers by showcasing the technology and opportunities it offers. Image courtesy of Molded Dimensions Inc. Manufacturers like Molded Dimensions Inc. are responsible for more than 75 percent of all private-sector R&D; performed in the U.S., which provides a technological edge that is critical to continuing innovation and national security. Image courtesy of Molded Dimensions Inc.