by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Jan 2, 2022 | RAM Tools & Methods, Workforce Issues
From an early age, I have always enjoyed spending time with people who are older than me. While capitalizing on the energy and inventiveness of youth, I have also recognized that anything new is typically an iteration of something conceived many years previously, then...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Oct 25, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States from overseas makes sense for any products, commodities, and other materials considered essential to our national defense, social wellbeing, and economic survival. As I had stated in a previous article (link...
by Ken Bannister, MEch (UK), CMRP, MLE, Editor | Oct 17, 2021 | Asset Management, Workforce Issues
Today’s maintenance departments cannot, and do not, function autonomously. To be successful they must first recognize that success is based upon a series of integral partner relationships, set up and managed to provide mutual benefit for all partners. For many...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Oct 10, 2021 | Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
New equipment and technologies are inevitable as manufacturing jobs in America go begging for people. Shortages of skilled employees have reduced production and led to plant closings. At the same time, reshoring of manufacturing businesses and foreign direct...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Sep 13, 2021 | Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) conducted its “Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey” for the third quarter of 2021 from Aug. 19 to 30. (www.nam.org/manufacturers-outlook-survey). The report published on Sept. 9, 2021, paints a picture of “healthy...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Sep 6, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Workforce Issues
In my August 30, 2021, article, “High School Robotics Competitions: A Source of Next-Gen Technicians” (see link below), I described how certain hands-on applied-technology programs in schools are building excitement, skills, and knowledge for careers in industry. The...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Aug 30, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
This week’s newsletter column is a follow-up to my previous column on “How To FIND A Job” (see link below). My argument in that discussion emphasized the importance of communicating effectively. To be clear, strong communication skills (oral and...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Aug 30, 2021 | Plant Operations, Workforce Issues
Imagine if your operations could recruit entry-level technicians and apprentices who 1) had four intensive seasons of hands-on team experience in tightly controlled design-build procedures; 2) had adhered to strict schedules in learning how to solve mechanical,...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Aug 23, 2021 | Training & Qualification, Workforce Issues
Imagine that you’re 15 years old. You like new technology. You’re a whiz at strategy games. You built your own computer and set up a wireless network in your home. You’re yearning for your first car. You have fleeting thoughts about you might want to do when you grow...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Aug 22, 2021 | Newsletter Column, Plant Operations, The Bloch Files, Workforce Issues
This column’s title is similar to that of an article in a periodical I enjoy reading. The author made the point that “many people lose their jobs, not because of lack of technical skill, but because they lack the ability to communicate effectively.” Well...
