“For the times they are a-changin” – Bob Dylan
Like all industries, the manufacturing industry has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, especially in the past year. The need for digital innovation, flexible workforce operations and technological advancements has never been more present than today.
Technology has become the foundation of the manufacturing industry. More and more, our wonderful industry is in need of a new, motivated, and highly skilled generation of manufacturers to take the reigns of these new technologies, leading the industry further into the digital age.
In today’s blog let’s take a look at how the Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program (AMTEP) and the manufacturing industry as a whole have evolved. Ultimately, it’s safe to say that this is not your grandfather’s manufacturing training.
A New Generation of Manufacturers
With previous generations of manufacturers either retiring or getting ready to retire, the industry is primed for the next generation of manufacturing professionals to step up and receive the baton. This rapid rate of baby-boomer retirement (reported at 10,000 a day in the United States in 2018) leaves a gap in the manufacturing workforce that is waiting to be filled.
While this may seem like a negative, we believe that it presents an incredible and exciting opportunity for those looking to join the workforce or simply considering a career in manufacturing on the North Shore of Massachusetts and the surrounding areas. With new technological advancements occurring every day, top manufacturers are on the lookout for fresh individuals ready to learn how to wield these technologies to create manufacturing success.
The (Manufacturing) World Is Changing
The digital world moves fast. Aerospace parts, medical products, electric vehicles, and at-home technologies are all evolving at a consistently unprecedented pace. Millennials and Generation Z have grown-up in this evolving digital landscape, learning how to use and implement continuously changing technology into their everyday lives. It’s no wonder why these new generations are the perfect choice to fill the role of the generation before them.
MOORE’S LAW – THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF TECHNOLOGY
We can look towards Moore’s Law to explain this generational shift and why innovation and technology seem to be speeding up at an ever-growing rate.
According to the Oxford Languages, Moore’s Law states that “the principle that the speed and capability of computers can be expected to double every two years, as a result of increases in the number of transistors a microchip can contain.”
This means that the innovations that we see around us on a daily basis show no signs of slowing down, in fact, as Moore’s Law states, every technological advancement doubles the capabilities of what came before. The next generation of manufacturers need to be flexible and able to adapt to any new innovations, operation practices, and products that need to utilized, implemented, or created to ensure success.
YOU AREN’T THE ROBOT, YOU CONTROL THE ROBOT
There’s a commonly held belief that robots will soon take over manufacturing floors, requiring minimal human interaction to create everyday products. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While yes, advanced robotics, digital communication, and Industry 4.0 have made an enormous impact on how manufacturers perform their daily operations, they still need a human controller.
This is where you come in. Technology is nothing without properly trained hands to take control and create incredible products. Every day, CNC Operators and Machinists use robotics, 3D printing, digital communication, and many more technologies to create life-saving medical devices, space shuttle components, video game consoles, vehicles, and more. If you can see it around you right now, chances are that a manufacturer created it.
How Does AMTEP Adapt To Modern Manufacturing?
The Advanced Manufacturing Training Expansion Program has been specifically designed to take advantage of the prior technical knowledge of young adults who have grown up in the digital age and adapting that knowledge for manufacturing careers. This concept lends itself to both providing stable, financially successful manufacturing careers to young adults on the North Shore of Massachusetts and providing a new, driven, and educated manufacturing workforce within the industry.
TRAINING FROM EDUCATED INSTRUCTORS & MANUFACTURING PROFESSIONALS
AMTEP provides trainees with over 415 hours of free technical machine training, ensuring that incoming manufacturing professionals are fully-knowledgeable and confident in their foundational skills. By offering these courses at various educational institutions on the North Shore, such as community colleges and technical schools, the training is flexible and accessible to those who need to work other part-time/full-time jobs while training.
AMTEP training isn’t stuck in the past, reliant on the old ways of manufacturing. Our program understands that, indeed, the times are changing. AMTEP, alongside the North Shore manufacturing industry, adapts to those changes, driving progress while supporting trainees and entry-level manufacturers’ education. This ensures that the Massachusetts manufacturing industry will thrive as a national leader in advanced manufacturing technologies and techniques.
CAREER CENTER ASSISTANCE AND END-OF-TRAINING JOB FAIRS
Sometimes when people graduate from a college or university, they are left wondering, what’s next? Our program understands that most AMTEP trainees don’t have the time or finances for long, arduous, and emotionally draining job searches, especially with the rapid speeds of today’s digital age.
Alongside our excellent technical training, AMTEP also provides trainees access to job specialists at the career center. And, they will likely have the opportunity to be placed directly within roles at well-respected companies. AMTEP also hosts career fairs at the end of each training cycle, ensuring that the opportunity to make connections and begin your new career and lifestyle are present directly after the incredible achievement of completing the program.