Students and manufacturing

1 comment December 6th, 2007

Last month, 136 students from Rockford area high schools piled on four buses to go to the FABTECH show in Chicago, a massive trade show at McCormick Place. It was all part of an effort to get young people interested in manufacturing careers.

Local manufacturers say they’re having a hard time finding qualified workers to run machines — machines that require extensive training in mathematics and computer programming. And the average age of local machinists is getting older. So five companies and three organizations sponsored the students’ trip to see 470,000 square feet of exhibitions from nearly 1,000 companies.

Sponsors were Woodward, Forest City Gear, W.A. Whitney, Specialty Screw and Reliable Machine. The Rockford Area Economic Development Council, the Rockford Community Foundation and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association also chipped in.

“The shortage of skilled workers is a major industry concern and the number one issue facing employers in the metal forming and fabricating sector,” said Gerald Shankel, president & CEO of FMA in a press release. “This initiative addressed the importance of introducing young people to these jobs in order to train tomorrow’s workforce.”

The event must have had an effect. Some of the students from Guilford are building a Web site and photo slide show of their field trip. Here’s one of the photos:

Caption: Guilford High School students pause to watch an equipment demonstration at the W. A. Whitney booth during the FABTECH Show at McCormick Place on Nov. 14. (Photo provided)