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Employer Quotes

The quotes below are from employers in this industry: Manufacturing

They are talking about this topic: Educational Partnerships

 

The quotes below are about this issue:
Employers offer various recommendations for improving MnSCU manufacturing programs, such as standardizing program and occupation titles, increasing support for community colleges, and training professors on new technology.

Employer Quote Region
"Everything metal needs to be either painted or plated. That's a fact, and there is no schooling for metal finishing of any kind. We have to train our own people, and with parts moving back from overseas, it's become a quality and a turnaround issue. Whatever it is, we're seeing growth in manufacturing. For turnaround, it means you have to get quality right the first time. Nobody supplies us with these people. We've got to train them, and it's hard to get people to understand how electroplating works. And anybody that makes metal parts, I guarantee they've had frustration with the quality and performance of electroplaters. What category would they fit in? There aren't programs for it. It doesn't even get addressed. But, if it's a part made of metal, it's got to be painted or plated." Central
"Employer 1: With all the technological advances they keep making to their machines, are they ever brought to the table so that the schools know what to teach to help support the machines? Is there a way to get the teachers taught from manager reps? We need these types of relationships.

Employer 2: Basically, the machines that they're teaching get more and more advanced. So, the question for the educators is, 'Do you have relationships with the vendors so that you guys have opportunities to keep up on the newest technological advancements?'

Employer 1: I don't know what's in place to keep you abreast of everything that's going on—like training your teachers—and if there are advancements that you could take advantage of?

Employer 2: I heard from some people that I know in schools as well as from a vendor that there are a lot of rules and regulations about what they can and cannot do. That might hinder our ability to move forward. Sometimes people from schools might want to go to machine shows to be able to see what's available, but who pays for it? How does that all happen?"
Central
"I think one of the issues where the schools can help us—and everybody needs to do it, even parents—is to instill into the younger workforce that this is a life-long learning process. And it's important that you continue to see the world that way. Otherwise, you could be left behind because the technology is moving along so fast. So many students think, 'I did my time in school, so now I'll get my job, collect my money, and life will be good.' But just think about what we know today versus what we knew five years ago, compared to what we knew 60 years ago. If young people don't how the world is today—how quickly everything is changing—then we're sort of doomed. They need to be problem-solvers who can deal with change. I don't know if they really see that." Central
"I've been in a lot of tech schools, and they have a lot of lathes and mills, but they don't have as many grinding—I would say modern grinding equipment. So, that might be something that could be looked into as well." Metro
"There was an example—it still may exist—an [out-of-state college] had a school of mines and another [out-of-state college] would go up there in the summer for their Mine Surveying course; it was more of a mining technologist two-year program. It didn't teach students how to drive a haul truck or operate a drill or run a shovel, but it gave them the basics about what the minerals are and about the different mineral processing processes, quality control aspects, and the surveying. They were getting students for the summer courses and teaching people from throughout Canada and the United States. So, there are examples out there of mining technology programs that could be instituted up here." Northeast
"Would it be viable for high school welding students to get some kind of AP [advanced placement] credit for their welding classes? We already have AP for college English. Maybe there could be a program where a student could earn credits if they take advantage of the opportunities in industrial technology classes? Maybe that is the question for the colleges, but it might encourage some students—the ones who might not otherwise consider taking a welding class—if they knew they'd get some college credits if they pass the test." Northwest
"If you teach data technology at a high school level there would not only be the skill to do the particular job, but also the understanding of the lean. So, how can we connect two-year programs with the high schools? Can we get those programs better articulated so that maybe students come out with some credits? And maybe have programs that speak not just to the skills, but also how does that actually work on the job? That would be my feeling. I do think most of us can make use of the technical colleges. From what I understand at MnSCU, they are doing a better job of taking that curriculum that was grant-funded and trying to get it into a collective space so that they share it amongst all of the system schools, which has been an issue over the years. But you guys are working on that." Northwest
"At the technical level—from a college standpoint—we either need to teach them or screen them out, so groom them or ruin them. Let them act. Don't expect us to be the screeners. Don't give them a degree, if they don't have the skills. And I think that we can help quantify what those expected skills are. So, how do you turn something subjective into something more objective in order to screen out those people that are going to fail?" Southeast
"I don't know how to quite articulate this, but as I look at MnSCU over the past decade or so, I think they keep trying to be all things to all people. Sometimes I think there's a lack of focus. You know, I've asked in different forums, 'Why are we still teaching French? Do we really need to have that program everywhere?' That takes resources and energy and funds that could be used for other classes. You think of Wisconsin where they've kind of said, you know, the [out-of-state college] is going to have these industrial kinds of programs. In Minnesota, it seems like we're trying to be all things to all people.

I'm a proud alumni of [MnSCU college], and we love [MnSCU college], but they're not really interested in southern Minnesota. They like it when we send our kids there, but we don't get a lot in return as far as [MnSCU college] being as prevalent and present in southern Minnesota for four-year programs. So, I'd really encourage MnSCU to try to figure out where they are going to try to put some of these Centers of Excellence. We can't do everything at each university. I'm sure each university wants to be all things to all people, but it's a model that I don't think is going to serve us well going forward because they just don't have the funds and the resources to be good at everything."
Southeast
"Employer 1: I also think that community colleges are the red-headed stepchild. They're closest to all the employers in the region.

Employer 2: Yeah, I would lead with the community colleges. I think the community colleges really need to be helped to be put in the forefront, especially working with manufacturing. I don't know if others agree with me.

Employer 3: Absolutely.

Employer 2: I think Chancellor Rosenstone needs to get that message that there has to be more funding and more focus.

Question: So, that they're really the employer's partner?

Employer 1: I'm afraid the four-year colleges are going to revoke my degree. The four-year colleges just don't seem that interested.

Question: In working directly with employers?

Employer 1: Correct."
Southeast
"Employer 1: The other thought is that all of us will invest internally in different training programs, and it would be nice if MnSCU would be a little flexible to say, 'Hey, you know, this individual went through a pretty robust green belt program. That's going to be worth X amount of credits to help them get a sheepskin at some point.' Because I think there's a tremendous amount of effort and energy and dollars that are spent on training that never gets above the waterline or helps that employee achieve a diploma or certificate because MNSCU, again, has these rules that, I think, are somewhat antiquated.

Employer 2: Maybe that training could replace a course, so they don't have to take a certain course or something."
Southeast
"You know, thinking way back to when I went to school, we had electronics. And, yes, we had other areas—some of the other liberal arts—and, geez, at the time, I really didn't care for those. But when you get out there, yeah, you need supervisory training. You need some of that artistic stuff. So, yeah, there's a few things there I could have really used lately. Some of those things that maybe make it a more well-rounded education." Southwest
"Employer 1: Post-secondary programs can be very confusing for students and families even just from a language perspective. If they want to go into a certain career, there's a different name for that program at the secondary level. And then they're in a different class or department at the post-secondary level. There's no consistency. So, you might be in the technical education program and do welding and fabrication. Or, you might have a power and energy and transportation class, and then eventually you graduate and you're going to a—well, what would be the program? A mechatronics program at the post-secondary? And then eventually you're going to be a system maintenance person? It gets real confusing.

Question: So, standardize the titles?

Employer 1: Yeah. I don't know how you do that. But maybe aligning—paying more attention to the occupation versus the name of the degree. It's a very confusing system in which to try to maneuver your child or yourself as a student.

Employer 2: It used to be really simple, so there's no reason why we can't get back to the simple.

Employer 1: In manufacturing, it's probably much more confusing than other fields."
Southwest