Enjoy the pictures of the event and video on You Tube.  We certainly enjoyed all of your energy and hard work!  We look forward to seeing you all again next year on Friday, February 11, 2011! 

Judge Budge and all the Rubes

Surfing the web, reading the paper and watching the news, we see and hear a lot of interest in STEM education in the K-16 school system. There is even more interest in the economy and creating jobs.  But we don’t often hear discussions of the connection between the two.  They are inextricably linked, and it’s time we examined how.

Surveys of manufacturers over the past two years in Minnesota have identified several key concerns.  They consistently lament that the skill level of employees is not where it needs to be to be competitive in the global economy.  The areas of concern most frequently mentioned include analytical/critical thinking, problem solving, innovation & creativity, statistical process control, finance, automation.  How do these skills relate to STEM?

STEM is the collective acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  It is usually thought of as curriculum oriented learning in K-12 and post secondary education.  It is not often connected to incumbent worker learning.  It should be.  Of the workers who will be employed in 2020, about 67% are in the workforce today.  These individuals need skill enhancement as much as the new workers entering the workforce.  So how does STEM fit in?

Science is the process of discovery, of using the scientific method of logical analysis and critical thinking to solve problems.  The scientific method is most often thought of as applied to specific subject areas like physics and biology, but in the broader sense it is the process of critical thinking applied to all topics that is universally useful.

Engineering is the process of creativity that leads to innovation.  It uses science as a basis and applies these scientific principles to real problems and opportunities to create new and innovative solutions.

Technology is tools.  Technology is the product of engineering.  Today we often think of technology as related to computers, but in fact technology is any tool that extends the capability of humans to accomplish work.  A shoe horn is technology, as is a hammer.  It is the process of applying innovative thinking using fundamental scientific principles that creates technologies.

Mathematics is the language of science, engineering and technology.  It is also the language of finance, economics and sports.  How would you plan your household budget if you didn’t consider income and expenditures numerically?  How would you improve a manufacturing process if you didn’t understand statistical process control?  How interesting would it be to watch a baseball game if no score were kept, or you didn’t know the batting average of a player?

Industry is calling for improved skills in workers to meet the global competitive challenge.  The skills needed to create the competitive workforce of the future – critical thinking, creativity, innovation, understanding finance and automation, the ability to interpret written documents and turn them into products – are the same skills learning through STEM education. 

And that’s why a strong STEM is needed for a blossoming economy.

ATLANTA, Nov. 24, 2009

Siemens today announced the seven schools that will recieve in-kind donations of automation equipemnt and software as part of its Siemens Automation Cooperates with Education (SCE) program. Designed to help “jump-start” or upgrade technical programs and curriculum with leading edge Siemens automation technologies, more than 60 universities, colleges trade schools and high schools were nominated for the SCE Educational Development Award by Siemens distributors across the country.

The award recipients are Alexandria Technical College, Alexandria, MN; Penn College of Technology, Williamsport, PA; University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV; Kellogg Community College, Battle Creek, MI; Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA; Western Colorado Community College, Grand Junction, CO; and College of the Sequoias, Visalia, CA.

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Minnesota manufacturers can control energy costs by controlling the amount of energy they use. Unfortunately, when the bill comes most people pay much more attention to the cost than they do to the actual amount used – neglecting (…)
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 By Ronald Bennett, Executive Director, Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence

Imagine you are King in the 16^th Century. You live in a cold, stone palace with no central air or heat. There’s no running water or indoor plumbing. With no radio, television or newspapers to keep you informed, the world seems small and isolated.

Fast forward to the 21^st Century. We have comfortable, climate controlled homes. We turn a faucet and water comes out. The world’s events are literally at our fingertips 24 hours a day. Thanks to technological advances, many of us now live better than the royalty of the past, even on modest incomes. The industry that makes this possible? Manufacturing.

Manufacturing is the life sustaining force that touches every single thing around you—from the furnace in your home to your laptop computer to the pacemaker that may someday save your life. Manufacturers are central in creating a better, more convenient, cleaner and healthier life; but few of us focus on the positives, and that’s a mistake.

To reach and recruit the next generation of would-be manufacturers, it is imperative that we—the old guard—talk about the benefits of a job in manufacturing, rather than just its features. When reaching out to young people, talk about manufacturing’s role in the stewardship of our planet through recycling and eco-friendly practices. Talk about it helps people in need through bio-manufacturing and work in the health industry. Play up the myriad products that make people’s lives better and create a safer world.

To talk the talk, of course, we must walk the walk. Jump on the green bandwagon by using lean and sustainable practices to conserve nature’s precious resources. Open your minds—and the doors of your shop—to new technology, energy and water conservation, affordable health care and other modern elements. Not only will you attract the best and brightest of today’s generation, you’ll be involved in work that is rewarding. And, you may even boost that bottom line.

If you are still skeptical about your role in creating a better world, here’s some food for thought: You may just stamp hinges in your factory, but somewhere down the supply chain, you’re contributing to an energy-efficient freezer. You may just solder circuits, but the pacemaker you helped create saves lives. You get the idea.

What does your manufacturing operation do to benefit mankind?  If you can make that clear, you stand a good chance of attracting the talent you’ll need this century to have a sustainable business, maximize Minnesota’s competitiveness and maybe even change the world.

Minnesota Future Work is an environmental scanning program designed to identify new and emerging occupations, the skills required for such occupations, and the education and training needed to develop such skills. For an archive of additional scans, please visit the Future Work page on ISEEK.  http://www.iseek.org/news/trends.html

For upcoming events click here: http://www.iseek.org/news/events.html

Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow

In this report, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) presents a projection of potential developments in the U.S. labor market over the next five to ten years and discusses the preparations necessary to develop the 21st century workforce. The report discusses the skills that will likely be most relevant in growing occupations, the value and limitations of our current post-high school education and training systems, and the characteristics of a more effective education and training structure.

At an aggregate level, the data indicate that the economy of 2016 will resemble the economy of 2008, with several important shifts that have implications for employment.

*  Health care is forecasted to remain a large source of job growth in the labor market. The long-term trend toward more employment in health care is expected to continue, with many health care occupations, including medical records and health information technicians, registered nurses, clinical laboratory technicians, and physical therapists, expected to grow.

*  Retail trade is projected to contract somewhat in terms of employment share, partly because the growth in consumer spending is expected to slow somewhat going forward.

*  The decades-long decline in the share of workers that are employed in manufacturing is expected to moderate. Some industries within manufacturing – such as aerospace and pharmaceuticals – are projected to create many jobs.

*  The construction industry is projected to eventually recover and add jobs in the coming decade. This rebuilding would generate a demand for skilled workers such as electricians and plumbers.

Well-trained and highly-skilled workers will be best positioned to secure high-wage jobs, thereby fueling American prosperity. Occupations requiring higher educational attainment are projected to grow much faster than those with lower education requirements. Growth among occupations that require an associate’s degree or a post-secondary vocational award is projected to be slightly faster than occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or more.

[FutureWork Note: In addition to the growth rate, it is also important to consider the projected number of job openings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2006 and 2016 there will be about 11 million total job openings in the U.S. for occupations that require a bachelor's degree or more compared to about 8 million total job openings for occupations requiring an associate’s degree, post-secondary vocational award or long-term on-the-job training which often involves technical training.]

Key attributes of a well-trained workforce as well as elements of an effective education and training system are detailed below.

*  Employers value workers who can think critically and solve problems. Many highly-paid occupations require workers with good analytic and interactive skills.

*  Occupations that employ large shares of workers with post-secondary education and training are growing faster than others. While expected growth in construction and some manufacturing industries would create job opportunities at all skill levels, workers will be better positioned for good jobs if they acquire additional training and education. Occupations that have grown recently require more formal post-secondary schooling than occupations that have declined.

*  The U.S. post-high school education and training system provides valuable skills to those who complete programs in high-growth fields. However, it could be more effective at encouraging completion and responding to the needs of the labor market.

*  Elements of a more effective system include: a solid early childhood, elementary, and secondary system that ensures students have strong basic skills; institutions and programs that have goals that are aligned and curricula that are cumulative; close collaboration between training providers and employers to ensure that curricula are aligned with workforce needs; flexible scheduling, appropriate curricula, and financial aid designed to meet the needs of students; incentives for institutions and programs to continually improve and innovate; and accountability for results.

Importantly, post-secondary education and training can provide the cognitive and interactive skills required for good, high-paid, jobs. Analysis of data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) indicates that occupations with a high intensity of analytic and interactive skills tend to have large shares of workers with post-secondary education. Moreover, occupations with a high concentration of college-educated workers have been growing much faster than others.

This analysis is consistent with another set of results from the employer survey conducted by The Conference Board. Respondents noted that graduates from two- and four-year college programs were on average better prepared to meet the challenges of the labor market than high school graduates. Specifically, those with only a high school degree were reported to be deficient in professionalism/work ethic and critical thinking/problem solving.

The Conference Board also found that their survey respondents believed most recent high school graduates lacked the basic skills of reading, writing, and math that were deemed necessary by employers. Among these basic skills, employers deemed this group to be most deficient in writing. Employers judged nearly three-quarters of high school graduates as unable to write at a basic level, for which competency includes knowledge of both spelling and grammar. These rudimentary skills, combined with the applied skills of problem solving and interacting with others, are critical for workers in the current labor market according to Donna Klein, President and CEO of Corporate Voices for Working Families (a sponsor of The Conference Board Report). One member of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) echoes this view in reporting that one-half of the job applicants to his large company cannot do basic 8th grade math. Other members of the PERAB report that many workers do not possess the basic reading and math skills necessary for even entry-level work.

Worker flexibility is key given the dynamic nature of the U.S. labor market and ongoing technological change. In 2003, for example, a quarter of American workers were in jobs that were not even listed among the Census Bureau’s Occupation codes in 1967, and technological change has only accelerated since then. Environmental-related occupations – which are expected to experience tremendous growth over the next decade – did not exist in comparable data prior to 2000. As we build a new foundation for economic growth in the 21st century, the nation’s workers will be better prepared for ever-changing opportunities if they have strong analytical and interpersonal skills. High-quality education and training is the best way to prepare the workers of today for the jobs of tomorrow.

Executive Office of the President Council of Economic Advisors July 2009 http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Jobs_of_the_Future.pdf

The Minnesota Future Work program is operated by Daniel Wagner Wagne054@tc.umn.edu and Victor Ward vwwardmfw@comcast.net .  To add names of people to receive Future Work Scans or to notify us of a change in your e-mail address, please send an e-mail to Bruce.Steuernagel@so.mnscu.edu who manages the program.

Minnesota Future Work is funded by the Carl D. Perkins Act, Office of the Chancellor, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is pleased to award Project Lead The Way(R) (PLTW) the 2009 ECS Corporate Award. The tribute honors for-profit corporations or non-profit organizations with sustained commitment to and investment in improving public education. The award will be presented by Minnesota Governor and ECS Chair Tim Pawlenty as part of the 2009 National Forum on Education Policy, July 8-10 in Nashville, Tenn.

Collaborating with schools, industry, state government and universities, PLTW works to build future generations of successful engineers and technology savvy graduates. PTLW supports a series of middle and high school courses that are project-centered, problem-based and technology-integrated, preparing students to excel in high-tech fields. With rigorous and relevant context tied to national standards, the program responds to a common student question: “Why do I have to learn this?”

“This is a perfect example of a public/private partnership engaging and challenging students to apply their skills and knowledge to real life situations,” notes ECS President Roger Sampson.

Project Lead The Way leadership believe that when schools apply activities and problem-based learning, they generate an “increase in student motivation, an increase in cooperative learning skills, higher-order thinking and an improvement in student achievement.” Research has shown this to be true. According to an evaluation by High Schools That Work, PLTW students scored significantly higher in both mathematics and science high school assessments. The National Center for Education Statistics 2006-07 True Outcomes report explains that students who participate in PLTW are five times more likely to graduate college as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors than those who do not.

The organization was started in the 1980s in upstate New York by Richard Blais and Richard Liebich, becoming an independent not-for-profit organization in 1997. Today, the program is expanding across the country with an eye to new and engaging curriculum.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award, particularly at a time when our country needs a new generation of innovators to remain economically competitive in the 21st century global economy,” said John Lock, CEO of Project Lead The Way. “We remain committed to attracting more students to science, math, engineering and tech fields in the coming years by expanding the reach of PLTW’s critical-thinking and project-based curriculum to more schools around the country. By helping students apply what they learn in math and science to innovation and real life problem-solving, we can create America’s next “Innovation Generation’ and regain our economic competitive advantage.”

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is the only nationwide, nonpartisan interstate compact devoted to education. ECS helps governors, legislators, state education officials and others identify, develop and implement public policies to improve student learning at all levels. A nonprofit organization, ECS (www.ecs.org) was formed in 1965 and is located in Denver, Colorado.

Project Lead The Way(R) is a national 501c3, not-for-profit educational program that helps give middle and high school students the rigorous ground-level education they need to develop strong backgrounds in science and engineering. For more information, please visit: http://www.pltw.org.

SOURCE Education Commission of the States Mary Ann Strombitski, +1-303-299 3609, mstrombitski@ecs.org, or Ashley Zaleski +1-303-299-3698, azaleski@ecs.org, both of the Education Commission of the States

Suzanne Nordblom, Dean of Engineering and Construction Technology at SCC, said the idea for Friday Camp came from brainstorming sessions about how to get more students interested in STEM-related programs. “Faculty routinely visited students at their schools, but we were looking to try something new. We wanted to create an experience for students on our campus where they could gain hands-on practice with some of our programs,” she said.

The Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence has been involved in Friday Camp from the beginning. As the idea took shape, SCC requested and received financial support from MNCEME. Nordblom said, “MNCEME grants provide funding for project materials fees and lunch. Their support allows us to offer the Friday Camp to schools free of charge.”

Jeff Fischer, SCC Computer Integrated Machining instructor who was instrumental in getting the Friday Camp program started, works to give visiting students the best experience possible. And it seems to be working. “Students use design and fabrication software to machine a piece of aluminum. The excitement in the room during the project is palpable. It is almost like Christmas morning when the students see their piece produced,” said Fischer. In addition to the hands-on project, the Camp includes lunch with a presentation from the civil engineering faculty and a campus tour including production labs and recreation facilities.

Friday Camp is a lot more exciting than having an SCC instructor stand in front of the class and explain their program—no matter how dynamic the instructor may be. “We know the Friday Camp is effective as a recruitment tool because we have former Friday Camp attendees who are enrolled in our CIM program,” said Fischer. “These college students now help with Camp, mentoring students from their alma mater and other high schools.”

Fischer is impressed with the caliber of students who participate. “It is unbelievable how quickly they can retrain themselves and learn new software,” said Fischer. “And they ask amazingly well-thought-out questions about industry software, wages and long-term career options.”

In return, high schools seem to be impressed with Friday Camp, some visiting several times. “The response to the Camp has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Nordblom. Currently, Friday Camp is offered five or six times per semester; however, demand is growing and special requests, such as a girls-only camp, are being made. Although the program is only available with either the Computer Integrated Machining Program or the new Mechatronics Program at this time, SCC is eager to expand and include other programs.

Getting trained and qualified people into the manufacturing and engineering workforce is vital to Minnesota’s economic growth. And Friday Camp is another innovative example of how MNCEME members are working to increase the pipeline of students pursuing STEM-related careers.

Before you look further into this idea, however, remember that companies don’t make these things happen. Employees do—passionate, committed employees who are motivated and allowed to be creative, take initiative, make decisions and, yes, mistakes. They create innovative products, build relationships and refine processes. They need three things to succeed: a culture of innovation, created by an enlightened management; the tools (education) to know what new things to try; and the authority to make mistakes on the way to successful transformations.

When you’re exploring new territory, there is no map, so wrong turns are almost inevitable. This is risky, but no more so than if you stick with the same old practices that will only lead to the same old results. Chances are, those same old results will not be enough to keep manufacturing competitive into the coming century, or even the coming decade.

This means the greatest burden is on the leaders of our manufacturing organizations. It will require some changes, sometimes major ones, in the way the leaders act and even think. But others have made the journey, and lots of support is available. The only real requirement is passion—the will to make each manufacturing organization as innovative and competitive as possible. The alternative is ultimately unsustainable.

Minnesota’s Centers for Excellence which include the Center for Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence, have been awarded continuing funding for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.   Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Linda Baer announced in a memo date June 3, 2009 that the Centers will be funded at approximately $4M, reflecting a 12% funding reduction from past awards.  “My expectation is this funding level will assist each Center in maintaining momentum and the current and planned initiatives presented earlier this year by each Center of Excellence,” states Baer. 

“This funding will allow the Center to continue to move forward with strategic initiatives that support Minnesota’s industry sector,” says Dr. Ronald Bennett, Executive Director for the Center.  “Building an educated, technically skilled pool of workers is critical to Minnesota’s economic success both nationally and globally.  Our goal is to increase that pipeline flow across the full spectrum of people pursuing STEM careers.”