Manufacturing 2.0
Rock River Valley manufacturing experts discuss the many facets of manufacturing: technology, education, training, events, people and any other aspects of this important segment of our economy. They’ll use this blog to get the word out and solicit feedback on local and global manufacturing. They hope to better engage our employers, employees and our future work force and increase their understanding of manufacturing.

Archive for May 15th, 2008

Ironman Inspires?

Add comment May 15th, 2008

The movie, Ironman, is big at the box office and big with our younger population. I went to see it for fun, but was pretty quickly caught up in the innovation, manuacturing and futuristic dreaming that was background for this Box Office hit! I came out hoping that this could be a great connection between exciting young girls and guys to go into Manufacturing related fields as a career. Last Tuesday at the monthly MARRV Breakfast at the Stockholm Inn i asked the 30+ people there if they had seen the movie….one one had (generation gap!). I told them it was a great example of what many of us do each day—create, make, innovate, problem solve, use tools, make the world the place it is! During the WOTM Manufacturing Camp, at TechWorks, they are told the first day, that everything from your baby rattle to the handles on your casket are manufactured. It is pretty exciting to be a part of that world! I suggest you get out to the Movie—Ironman and take 16 to 25 year olds with you. Be sure to talk to them about the “manufacturing” they just saw. I am sure you will see something that you do or use everyday that you can tell them about. They are sure to be surprised! Even the May 19 ,2008 Time Magazine article, “Man Becomes Machine” tells us about the excitement from “tinkering” and how “the new machine men triumph”. My 20 something son-in-law reminds me that they show cased innovation, engineering, and manufacturing—”sometimes forgetting the laws of physics”…..but when you stay and watch the credits notice the names of Mold Shops, Sciencelabs, welders, futurists for the Department of Defense….and of course the hint of more to come. This is a vehicle for conversation with our young people! Ride it!