Generation Next
Minnesota schools, companies and organizations cultivate tomorrow’s manufacturing work force.
BY ANDREA LAHOUZE
Students build rockets at Galtier Magnet Elementary School in St. Paul
When the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) asked American students to describe what came to mind when they thought of “a career in manufacturing,” these were some of their responses: “ant in an ant colony,” “slave to the line” and “serving a life sentence.” While modern manufacturing has become incredibly safe, clean and high-tech, it seems its image—especially among students—has not advanced beyond the idea of an assembly line, where factory air is stifling, manual labor is backbreaking and injuries abound.
As baby boomers retire, the manufacturing industry will need an influx of skilled workers from Generation Y. According to the 2007 Minnesota Skills Gap Study, conducted by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), 55.5 percent of manufacturer respondents predicted moderate to severe work force shortages by 2010—with the most severe shortage in skilled production, where 68.5 percent of respondents predicted moderate or severe shortages in skilled workers.
For Kevin Otto, production manager at Ideal Aerosmith’s East Grand Forks headquarters, finding workers with electrical assembly skills is increasingly difficult. In response, the company has to train many workers on the job. The company develops testing systems for missiles, aircraft, launch vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and automobiles—which require basic to advanced electrical assembly skills.
“In Minnesota and North Dakota, there are not many jobs in this field,” Otto says. “Therefore, there is not a pool [of skilled workers] to select from. At the basic level [of assembly], it could take six months or a year to train a skilled worker. So if we invest time in them and get them up to speed, and they decide they don’t want to stick around, it’s a big waste of time.” Otto estimates that the company trains 90 percent of its electrical assembly workers on the job for lack of qualified applicants.
State Sen. Tom Bakk believes the industry needs to act now in order to avoid training even more workers on the job, or worse, looking outside of Minnesota to find a larger applicant pool. “Overall, I don’t [think manufacturers] have felt the shortage of people yet, but I don’t think they should wait until it comes, either,” he says. “Somebody’s going to pay for the training. If the state doesn’t do it through colleges and universities, employers are going to pay for it through on-the-job training. Or they’re not going to be able to expand [in Minnesota]. They’re going to have to go somewhere where there’s a [trained] work force available.”
Jaime Nolan, executive director of the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association (MPMA), believes the main hurdle is manufacturing’s outdated image. “A big obstacle that we face is this image that manufacturing is dirty and grimy and dangerous,” Nolan says. “Manufacturing has gotten so far beyond that now, but we have to get that message out there.”
Another hurdle is finding students who excel in classes related to the industry, including math, science and technology. Minnesota schools’ new required science exam saw disappointing results in 2008, with just 43 percent of high school students in grades 10 through 12 achieving a passing score. Younger grades had even bleaker numbers, with 39 percent of fifth graders and 38 percent of eighth graders passing.
To dispel manufacturing’s negative image, teachers, employers and the state of Minnesota are joining forces to ensure better education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM courses. The goal is to expose students to the opportunities in manufacturing and support those interested in pursuing careers in the industry.
Engaging Students
In the Mahtomedi school district, students in grades six through 12 get a taste of technology and engineering through the district’s Engineering Leadership Program.
Two years ago, Mahtomedi schools had already incorporated “Project Lead The Way” curriculum—an optional, project-based math and science program. Project Lead The Way has become a popular choice for many high schools in the U.S. because it provides challenging, integrated coursework for students who are already interested in math and science.
However, teachers also want to engage students less likely to consider a career in engineering, such as those studying art or English. “The Project Lead The Way classes are great, but the kids who take those already know they’re interested in engineering and manufacturing,” says Kathe Nickleby, director of the Engineering Leadership Program and assistant principal at Mahtomedi High School. “So how do you attract the kids in art classes, the kids in English classes or the kids in math classes?”
To overcome the challenge of initial attraction, the district has partnered with Tamara Moore, assistant professor of mathematics and engineering education at the University of Minnesota, to create Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs), which embed engineering and technology into every subject.
“In our English classes, we focus on technical writing and reading. In our art classes, we focus on digital graphics and animation and using computer-aided design (CAD). In our foods classes, we use mathematical models to develop a product,” Nickleby says. Engineers from manufacturers—including 3M, Tapemark, H.B. Fuller, Medtronic, HKM Engineering and Boston Scientific, among others—donate their time and expertise to work with teachers and students on the curriculum’s focus.
The Engineering Leadership Program has a significant return on investment. Enrollment in Project Lead The Way classes increased from one 25-student section to four sections in just one year. Even more students are expected to register for the 2009-2010 school year. Interest in manufacturing and engineering careers is also on the rise among Mahtomedi students, who increasingly choose to study related subjects when they go to college.
Nickleby is impressed by local manufacturers’ and colleges’ dedication to the program. “I am amazed and thrilled,” she says. “All the people— all the engineers, all the manufacturers, all the businesses, all the universities—are stepping up and saying, ‘We want to help.’ It’s the coolest thing.” The school district hopes to expand the program to grades K-5 by next year.
Students at Galtier Magnet Elementary School in St. Paul are already getting a head start on STEM skills. “We try to infuse science, math and technology throughout our core curricular offerings,” says principal Adrain Pendelton. On Fridays, the school’s science specialist meets with teachers individually to discuss ways to integrate science and technology into each classroom’s curriculum. Even art class boasts a technological component, as students design rockets to launch at the school’s open house.
When school is out, learning at Galtier Elementary continues. This summer, 3M will offer a science, math and technology summer program at the school to foster early interest in STEM subjects. The program will continue as an afterschool program when classes resume next fall.
For older students, the state’s most ambitious response to the worker shortage has been the creation of Dunwoody Academy, a free, industry-focused charter high school and the brainchild of Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. The St. Paul-based academy opened in 2007 and currently teaches 185 students in grades nine through 11.
The academy plans to add a grade 12 curriculum for incoming seniors next fall. The academy curriculum is intensely focused on technology—a subject regarded as an elective in many traditional high schools. Its five areas of focus, called “platforms,” include manufacturing, construction, health care, automotive and media arts. As sophomores, students choose four of these platforms to experience—one for each quarter of the school year. At the end of sophomore year, each student chooses one platform on which to focus, much like choosing a major in college.
Amondo Dickerson, Dunwoody College’s director of diversity, believes that early technical exposure is essential in order to attract students to technical careers—and to gain approval from parents harboring misperceptions about industry jobs. “When you start … exposing students and their families to the opportunities in technical careers, all of a sudden their eyes get big,” he says. “It’s about awareness. We need to do a better job [of promoting the manufacturing industry] collectively.”
Dunwoody Academy executive director Benito Matias agrees, adding that the platforms provide students with a solid knowledge base in a specific technical field. “It’s really about awareness,” he says. “We’re preparing [students] for whatever the next step might be, whether it’s the University of St. Thomas, the University of Minnesota or Dunwoody College.”
Promoting a New Image
Industry professionals want to attract students to careers in manufacturing. In response, they created a number of state and national initiatives to banish manufacturing’s negative reputation and highlight its many opportunities.
On the national scale, a manufacturing media campaign called “Dream It. Do It” (DIDI) is making its way across the country. DIDI attracts people to manufacturing careers by offering a clear understanding of manufacturing’s advanced, safe, high-tech nature. The campaign began as an NAM pilot in Kansas City, Mo., and has since sprawled out to more than 10 different locations in the United States. The newest location is set to roll out in Bemidji, Minn., this year. The program’s official Web site, www. dreamit-doit.com, is modern and appealing, offering a dream career quiz and links to each region of the country. Regional links provide a list of local schools’ career-related events and a phone number interested students and adults can call for more information about careers.
Karen White, director of DIDI’s Minnesota campaign, believes the program’s success stems from its nationwide yet customizable message. “Each region can put its own stamp on [the program] and do a campaign that makes sense for what they have in their region,” she says. “It’s a way of leveraging the resources in the region to connect people looking for rewarding, worthwhile careers and the companies that need skilled people who are passionate about what they do.” In Minnesota, DIDI has already partnered with the Tri-State Manufacturers’ Association, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), West Central Initiative, Rural Minnesota CEP, 3M and BTD Manufacturing, among others, to generate local buzz through manufacturing events. DIDI does not plan its own events, but rather connects with existing local events and brands them under the DIDI campaign.
The Kansas City pilot, which began in 2005, has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of students enrolled in manufacturing-related higher education courses. White expects Minnesota to have similar results—aided by the state’s myriad of locally grown programs, including “360º,” of which White is director.
Like DIDI, 360º is a manufacturing campaign at Bemidji State University. The program promotes career tracks that help students learn about specific industry positions, the schools offering required training and the companies hiring trained professionals.
The career paths help address concerns of parents, who, according to research from NAM, tend to share students’ initially negative impression of manufacturing.
“Parents are pushing for a four-year degree,” White says. “We don’t want to discourage that, but it’s not necessarily the right choice for everybody. We try to show that you can start with a diploma or two-year degree, [take on] this career pathway and eventually get your four-year degree. That alleviates the concerns of parents, to know the option is available.”
MPMA also fosters local interest in manufacturing careers through “Make It!”—a program focused on manufacturing technology. Funded by local manufacturing companies—including Ultra Machine Tool and Remmele Engineering— Make It! organizes classroom speakers, business tours, job shadows and apprenticeships for students. The program also has a messaging component, with a Web site, posters and a DVD about manufacturing that schools can display on their hallway monitors.
“The theme with the Make It! [DVD] is [that if] you fly it, you can make it; if you drive it, you can make it; if you listen to your iPod, you can make it,” says Nolan. “It’s really a sexy video to make the manufacturing industry look more appealing. It has really become a successful statewide campaign.”
Students and parents aren’t the only ones who need a crash course on the merits of the manufacturing business. Teachers, too, are learning how the industry can provide interesting, high-tech career options to students.
Stillwater Area Public Schools have 21 manufacturing business partners who expose teachers to the opportunities of the industry in a Career Exploration Program. Lois Sortedahl, a fifth grade teacher at Afton-Lakeland Elementary School, says her visits to Boston Scientific and Mack Engineering were eye-opening. “I have no experience in manufacturing, so it was a terrific opportunity for me to see quite a spectrum of jobs that are possibilities for kids in the future,” she says.
Sharon Lovell, a fifth grade teacher in Stillwater, says the program has changed how she speaks to students about future goals. “Because of this program, now when I talk to the kids, I don’t say, ‘When you graduate and go to college …’ Now [I say], ‘When you graduate and pursue a career,’ ” she says. To date, 35 teachers from a variety of grades have toured local manufacturing companies. The district hopes to provide the experience for even more teachers this summer.
Expanding Horizons
American manufacturing has been welcoming women into its work force ever since Rosie the Riveter declared, “We can do it!” in the 1940s. For many young women today, however, stepping into a career in manufacturing still seems like a predominantly masculine pursuit. It’s a challenge to attract female workers, even if they are aware of the industry’s opportunities.
To set aside the notion that engineering, manufacturing and technology are for men only, the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering hosts an annual summer camp for girls called “Science Technology & Engineering Preview Summer Camp for Girls,” or STEPS. STEPS is based on a camp founded by Peter Heimdahl, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Ronald Bennett, founding dean of St. Thomas’ School of Engineering, discovered the program 10 years ago and brought it to St. Thomas.
STEPS’ free camp provides a basic program for girls between sixth and seventh grade, and an advanced program for girls between eighth and ninth grade. Participants enjoy a weeklong stay on campus and learn what engineers do through classes and a project.
Dr. Kaye Smith, STEPS project director, says it is important for young female students to know that other girls share their interest in math and science. “These girls are at points in their lives where they’re making decisions about whether it is OK to be an engineer or a scientist,” she says. “It’s encouraging for camp participants to spend a week with 39 other girls who are excited about math and science.”
Campers build and fly radio-controlled airplanes during the basic STEPS camp. “They actually manufacture the plane, so they will be working with things like a drill press, a router and a thermoformer,” Smith says. “It’s really cute to watch the girls. The first time they pick up a drill, they smile and say, ‘My dad doesn’t let me do this.’ ”
Thanks to the STEPS program, many participants choose to pursue math and science in high school and higher education. “Girls who come to camp are much more likely to take advanced math and science classes in high school, which at least opens the door to them to continue in science and technology,” Smith says. “We’re trying to open that world up to them.” It seems to be working. In a recent survey of past campers, nearly 50 percent of respondents declared engineering or science majors in college.
STEPS isn’t the only Minnesota summer camp geared toward manufacturing and engineering. DEED hosts two-week manufacturing camps for high school students and recent graduates with disabilities. The camps give participants an introduction to the industry at technical colleges around the state.
Technical college instructors teach the camps. Participants listen to guest speakers from the manufacturing community, tour local manufacturing businesses and complete hands-on projects, such as making a metal picture frame or metal birdhouse. Projects vary from camp to camp, but the fundamentals are the same. In 2007, DEED’s first manufacturing camp had 18 high school participants. This summer, DEED expects more than 120 campers at nine camps around the state.
Debra Bultnick, DEED manufacturing industry workforce specialist, says that the camps have helped to open the eyes of both employers and students. “When you see a kid in a wheelchair running a drill press, [you realize] he doesn’t need his legs to do that,” she says. “It is a reality check for employers. When you close your eyes and you think about who works for you, now you have an expanded vision of what your work force can be. Employers are missing an opportunity if they’re not [realizing there is] a whole other group of perfectly capable people.”
Sen. Bakk believes the key to attracting young people—and the ultimate benefit—is in manufacturers’ hands. “[Manufacturers] would be wise to do more in the area of internships and to create an outreach program … to give [students] some experience of what manufacturing is,” he says. “There is a real cost to industry in exposing students to manufacturing—but there’s a real cost in not having a work force in the future, too.”
State Sen. Tarryl Clark agrees.
“Manufacturing has been a critical component of the Minnesota economy for decades,” she says. “Making sure our students have the skills and interest to do these jobs is essential for our future prosperity. Even though we have too many unemployed workers right now, we have to look down the road to when the economy recovers and position ourselves to compete on a global scale. These new initiatives are doing just that.”