AIM SECTOR STRATEGY DISCUSSION GROUPS

1/19/2016 Meeting

  1. Changing the image of MFG in Brevard

What is the public perception of mfg. jobs?

  • Not positive – dirty environment
  • Environmentally unfriendly
  • Male dominated
  • Must be hidden so tourists don’t see the facilities
  • Doesn’t fit into the “persona f Brevard”
  • Not all machining- feature robotics etc.- more high tech jobs as well
  • Parents push kids into white collar jobs
  • Low pay, low skill
  • Lack of diversity – no young folks
  • Not promoted in schools
  • College push toward mfg. – too late!
  • “Mfg does not exist in US”
  • Showcase all the Made in Brevard products and tie them to careers- emotional connection of being part of a team that has created something important like Orion
  • Someone else should do the dirty job
  • Easier career ladder
  • Applied rather than theoretical- satisfaction of making something 9 historic perspective NASA, Embraer) Need to attach prestige to these jobs- position title
  • Machinist is the one who makes what the engineers have thought of
  • Street interviews of kids in each area of the county

Would you recommend a career path to Mfg?

  • YES!
  • All said yes but maybe not 5 Yrs. ago;
  • Yes offers wide range of jobs- whatever your f-drive is form pushing a button to design
  • Must show pictures of different career paths (show how they can move up to keep them motivated- keep learning and advancing is important to millennials)
  • Lots of opportunity and growth

Image campaign

  • Site tours
  • Mfg day/month
  • Create a video with a Recruiter reviewing resumes and interviewing two candidates- to choose the best hire. One has an Ivy League Engineering degree- all academic- awards. Other candidate was in a Manufacturing Academy in HS, did two summer internships in manufacturing facilities. Received certifications including CPT and CNC programming and has an Engineering degree from FIT. #2 is the best candidate with experience and applicable skills!
  • Specific jobs not just mfg. but IT, QC, accounting, Program managers, managers, etc.
  • Need job descriptions to understand the best way to approach this
  • Industry specific as well – aerospace, auto, etc.
  • What does mfg. mean? Suggest creating a video of a “Man on the Street” interviews- What is manufacturing? Do you know if there are any products manufactured in Brevard etc.?
  • Need buy in from guidance counselors to talk about MFG
  • Middle school as well
  • NASA is supplied by local mfg. – sexy!
  • Career fair at high school
  • Map out a career path
  • You get what you put into it
  • Different pathways/growth
  • What is “college” – might be 4 year degree or lots of certificates
  • Specific job fairs showcasing Mfg
  • Video tape interns who are currently working in manufacturing.- Interview a person who started at the bottom and now owns the company
  • Mfg can be creative
  • Toolkit
  • Create a Mfg speakers bureau to speak at schools dn PTA meetings
  • Show a video at movie theaters
  • Reverse Psychology- Parents--Target parents and especially parents in mfg. give them comparison stories of success- kid into occupation w/ credentials vs kid in college- occupation has a salary jump on the college grad 4 yrs. down the road( Occupation kid has a truck, a house and making $45-50K --college grad with $100K debt and starting salary of $30K
  • Must get kids into facilities, teachers, parents- show them “connecting to the final product”
  • Show a good pathway for 18-30 years old;
  • Job shadowing,
  • Lo tech classes for every student
  • Students to go into 2 year apprenticeships
  • MyMfg website with virtual tours of area facilities
  • Showcase salary stats of each job
  • Give students a passport to do plant tours- give extra credit or as course requirement
  • TOURS-TOURS- TOURS
  • Video of Recruiter talking to two candidates- one Ivy League engineer and other career pathway- internships, EFSC, college internship- FIT Engineering with CAMID Lab - Engineer. Which is the better hire?
  • Review Edge Factor website- inspiring Adv. Mfg videos created to attract HS students, teachers, guidance counselors to consider manufacturing as a career of choice
  • Understanding you are part of a cool product
  • Change schools perception- Smart kids go into Mfg and everyone else goes to colleges
  • Revamp MIHS career courses- allowing industry leaders to introduce careers- jobs etc., to students= more industry faces in schools and PTA meetings- “ I started as a… and look at me now- I own the company”
  • Need same level of education in HS- Need AP classes- industry certification at graduations
  • Have to understand the end products to take ownership
  • Stop treating Mfg as something you DON’T GO TO COLLEGE FOR