TEN Workshop

There's no doubt that manufacturing has an image problem. Students asked to describe images associated with a career in manufacturing responded with phrases such as "serving a life sentence," being "on a chain gang," or "slave to the line," or even being a "robot." Almost unanimously, they saw manufacturing opportunities to be in stark contrast with the characteristics they desire in their careers. Thus, they do not plan on careers in manufacturing.

American Machinist, James Benes, 09/11/2005

Wrong image

"Most young people have in mind a 20, 30, or 40-yr-old manufacturing model," notes Tom Whelan, a principal at Omaha's Silverstone Group specializing in human-resource development. "The dangerous, dirty, labor-intensive assembly lines of the 1950s are gone, replaced by robotics and intelligent systems requiring high-tech skills. In spite of dramatic changes in factory conditions, the old stereotypes of backbreaking labor and grimy working conditions persist. Manufacturers have failed to show how they've modernized, embraced new technologies, and involved workers in management and product development."

One reason manufacturing is perceived as a declining field is that employment figures reflect the number of manual-labor and assembly-line jobs being replaced by robots or moved outside the country. Most people don't think about the higher-level jobs remaining.

Another misconception is that manufacturing offers only low-paying jobs. According to the Department of Commerce, the average salary-and-benefit package for manufacturing workers was $62,700 in 2003. The national average for all jobs was $51,000. David Huether, a NAM economist, says the disparity stems mainly from health benefits, not wages, which are only marginally higher in manufacturing. Manufacturers provide health benefits to 87% of their employees — more than any other sector except government.

Safety, or the lack of it, is another misunderstood manufacturing issue. Over the past decade, manufacturing employee injuries have declined by 36%. The main reason for this decline is that business owners are taking voluntary steps to address safety issues. A 2004 NAM survey found that 89% of responding companies have written safety and health programs, up from 70% six years ago.

Activity

1) What do the following terms mean: "backbreaking labor", "serving a life sentence", "on a chain gang", "slave to the line"

2) What image of manufacturing do we have in Western Europe? Ask friends who aren't in manufacturing.

3) What should manufacturers do to improve the image of manufacturing?

4) What do you think of "... involved workers in management and product development."

5) Does you employer have a written safety and health program? List some of the more important points.