Education, apprenticeships, technology are key
When we look at our community and try to determine the future of businesses, especially those in industries that are producing complex components and providing manufacturing solutions to the world's largest companies, one has to focus on the availability of education, the expanded use of apprenticeship programs and the use of technology.
These three key factors will lead Butler County and this region into prosperity through providing cost-effective, high-quality products made by some of the most highly skilled and passionate people in the world.
Business and industry training continues to be one of the strongest assets in the county.We live in a unique situation in which students can have an opportunity to learn and develop through programs offered during their time in the public schools, career and technical education and then into their early collegiate studies through our community college system.While in elementary and high school, many students have their first experiences with understanding the disciplines of manufacturing through participation in events focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM for short.Students may be in competitions to produce robots, or go to one-day camps where they are learning about the industry in fun, exciting and challenging ways. In most cases, they are receiving education from both academic and industry leaders so the learning is not only accurate, but it's also applicable to the needs of our area industries.Much is the same — and even more focused — when our students enroll at the Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School.Students choose a program of concentrated study, earn industry leading certifications and are then able and ready to enter the workforce upon graduation. Many of these students are using modern technologies and techniques, which require far less training by employers, a competitive advantage for them when applying for careers.When the skills and knowledge of students are coupled with the industry recognized credentials, the student is prepared to be successful in the workforce. But some students seek additional education.This is where the community college system comes into play.An affordable alternative to other forms of higher education, the community college system provides a student with an excellent education, often taught by professors with a business background and usually in class sizes that are smaller to afford more focused attention to the students.In many cases, the students are earning associate degrees that allow them to either go into the workforce or to stay in the area and continue to work on select bachelor programs.Our community college, Butler County Community College, is a fine institution that allows students to pursue credit degree programs, and it also has certificate programs to allow working adults an opportunity to continue to develop their professional skills.
With the resurgence in apprenticeship programs, businesses are building a skilled workforce that will make them more agile and give them the ability to serve a wider range of customers while producing an ever changing variety of components and assemblies.Dozens of companies are already in the early phases of establishing apprenticeship programs while others that have used and experienced the benefits are redoubling their investments. For youth, these programs provide a low cost or sometimes even free manner in which to learn a skill and earn college credits, all with little to no debt incurred.Apprenticeships are also great programs to allow people with an interest in a certain skill to earn while they learn. Today's programs are targeting nontraditional people such as women, minorities, veterans and even disabled people.In the end, a successful completion of a registered apprenticeship program can achieve annual salaries of $45,000 to $55,000 a year and advancement opportunities in just about every aspect businesses have to offer.Just last November during the first National Apprenticeship Week, more than 100 dedicated business and workforce development leaders came together in this county for a presentation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship and showcased the benefits of these wonderful programs.Two panels of experts shared their insight and experiences, demonstrating how to build and maintain a successful apprenticeship program.As a result, additional companies are now setting up apprenticeships in businesses such as advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, financial services and banking.
As the skills of employees grow, so too is the use of more advanced technology.While many workers may continue to learn the building blocks of their trade on manual equipment, employees are rapidly being introduced to computer numeric coded, or CNC, machinery that uses computers, advanced sensors and drive motors to allow complex components to be produced faster than ever.With these technologies comes the need for CNC operators, CNC programmers and quality inspectors to check the dimensional accuracy of the components.The latest technology is additive or 3-D printing. This technology allows a component to be “printed” using powders and lasers that heat the materials, then allows it to cool, in layers. By doing so, industry is witnessing components that can't be made by any other means possible, including manual or CNC machining.What's so exciting is that components engineers may have wished for in the past that might make the products we use better now have a quick and cost-effective method to do so.In many cases, the ability to “print” a component may be the only way to achieve success. Businesses continue to study, use and advance this technology, and this will allow them to continue to grow and be competitive on a global market.Looking to 2020 and beyond, we can be proud that we have an education system that builds up our people, expanding programs such as apprenticeships that develop the people, and world-class technologies that our people can take to the next level.
