Manufacturers Drive Productivity with a Skilled Workforce

  • Date: July 31, 2018
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Productivity improvements are one of the top challenges manufacturers face over the next three years, according to the latest Tooling U-SME Industry Pulse: 2018 Manufacturing Workforce Study.

Launched in the second quarter of 2018, the study indicated that 83 percent of respondents are going to be at least somewhat challenged by productivity improvements over the next three years, while 41 percent are going to be very or extremely challenged. Read More.

What Lean Means – A Big Picture View

  • Date: July 23, 2018
  • Posted by:Jeff Fuchs, Executive Director, MWCC

Jeff Fuchs is Executive Director of the Maryland World Class Consortia, a lean learning collaborative in the mid-Atlantic. He is President of Neovista Consulting, providing lean transformation training and leadership coaching services. Read More.

The Power of Partnerships to Advance the Manufacturing Industry

  • Date: July 16, 2018
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

For decades, Tooling U-SME has advocated for advancements in manufacturing, specifically as it relates to the professional development and training of the people who work in the industry. As we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tooling U-SME continues to identify opportunities to improve processes, boost productivity, strengthen product quality and ready our workforce for Industry 4.0. Partnerships with other organizations that support a strong, advanced manufacturing industry are key to accomplishing these goals. Read More.

Workforce Training: A Must in the Age of Advanced Technology

  • Date: July 09, 2018
  • Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

A current misconception is that automation always leads to job elimination. Industry Week refutes this oft-repeated fallacy in an article about Minnesota-based Protolabs , which — despite the fact that it boasts millions of dollars’ worth of 3D-printing hardware — creates scores of jobs. Read More.