Tooling U-SME Blog

Manufacturing Training in Demand: CNC Machinist, Welding, 3D Printing Technology

Date: June 18, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

Even though we are still in the midst of responding to coronavirus, manufacturers are starting to ramp up production again.

According to SME’s COVID-19 Future Outlook Study, more than nine-in-ten respondents indicated their company was still operating in some capacity, with half of companies still fully active. There is lots of optimism, with over two-thirds of manufacturers expecting the industry to recover to pre-COVID-19 production levels by the end of 2020. Read More.

Honoring the Graduates—Specifically Career Tech Ed Students—of 2020

Date: June 16, 2020
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME

When we entered 2020, I, like many other people, looked forward to the new decade with a sense of hope, optimism and enthusiasm. I set personal goals and laid out business plans, eager to watch them unfold over the next 12 months. But our lives changed drastically within the first quarter of the new year. The COVID-19 pandemic took hold and turned our world upside down, disrupting everything from our daily hustle and bustle to long-awaited milestones like weddings, birthdays and graduations. Read More.

Cross-Training: Creating a Flexible Workforce for When it is Needed the Most

Date: June 03, 2020
Posted by:John Hindman, Director of Learning Services, Tooling U-SME

Tooling U-SME has launched a series of learning and development webinars to address current pain points for manufacturers. The first was Strategic and Effective Onboarding is Critical for Surge Hiring, which focuses on how to get a new worker to qualification of a specific job assignment. Read More.

Strategic and Effective Onboarding is Critical for Surge Hiring

Date: May 21, 2020
Posted by:John Hindman, Director of Learning Services, Tooling U-SME

As with all industries, manufacturing has been deeply impacted by COVID-19. Companies are focused on how to keep their employees safe and their businesses running.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), 78 percent of survey respondents anticipate a financial impact. Additionally, more than half (53 percent) anticipate a change in operations. Read More.

COVID-19 Reinforces Potential for Additive Manufacturing With 3D Printing, Training Urgently Needed

Date: May 12, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

COVID-19 unexpectedly demonstrated the potential of 3D printing in a very public way. Read more and learn how manufacturers and healthcare professionals came together to create and deliver 3D printed lifesaving equipment such as ventilators, nasal swabs, and face shields to combat the deadly virus. Read More.

Online Learning Is Here to Stay: Buy In, Get Started, Love It

Date: May 05, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

We are recording sessions with several Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors so other schools and colleges can hear how these early adopters have implemented and optimized an elearning program. You may listen to that recording here. These instructors can offer valuable insights on how to integrate elearning and overcome possible objections to it. Today we are pleased to welcome Tim Blizzard, Instructor Machine Technology from Carroll County Career and Technology Center in Westminster, Maryland. Read More.

Blending Online Learning with Hands-On Experience: A Proven Approach

Date: May 01, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

We have recorded sessions with several Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors so other colleges can hear directly from them about the best ways to successfully set up and use an elearning system. These interviews allow schools to learn best practices, avoid pitfalls and quickly convert to online learning, enabling them to continue to serve the educational needs of their students. Today is the fourth in a five-part series, and we are pleased to welcome Tad Montgomery, Lead Instructor, Machine Tool Technology from Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama. Read More.

Facing the COVID-19 Crisis: Resources for Educators Pivoting to Online Education

Date: April 29, 2020
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME

In just the last six weeks, our educational system has been completely transformed. To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, many states have now ordered or recommended that schools don’t reopen this academic year, and instead, rely on remote learning.

In an impressive feat, Department of Education leaders and instructors across the country quickly pivoted to find virtual solutions for their students. Suddenly, online education has become an urgent national necessity. Read More.

Using Online Learning and Hands-On Experience in a Competency-Based Machinist Program

Date: April 28, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

Today is the third in a five-part series and we are pleased to welcome Bret Holmes, Machinist Program Coordinator from Ogden-Weber Technical College in Ogden, Utah. Read More.

Best Practices for Using a Virtual Learning Classroom for High School and Adult Students

Date: April 23, 2020
Posted by:Chad Schron, Senior Director, Tooling U-SME

Today’s interview is the second in a five-part series, and we are pleased to welcome Kevin Finan, machine tool technology instructor from Atlantic Technical College and Technical High School in Coconut Creek, Florida. Read More.