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Encouraging careers in advanced manufacturing

WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley

As Buffalo's new economy shifts to high tech manufacturing there is a strong need for trained employees.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says STEM training is playing a key role to prepare the future workforce for advanced manufacturing job.  

"When people hear manufacturing they think of dirty, old factories, sort of low skill, low paying jobs and that's really not the case anymore," said Liz Callahan. Workforce Development Manager at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. 

The Partnership is making sure it's working to led conversations about issues in advanced manufacturing, encouraging collaborations between educational institutions and employers.

"We're asking a lot of people, education training providers and employers to all come together to think about how to solve a very complex problem -- how do we get high school and college students interested in manufacturing and in the skill trades when for a long time the push was everyone goes to a four year school and that those jobs were leaving the region -- how do we get parents on board?," explained Callahan.

One of organization playing a key role in promoting advanced manufacturing careers is WNY STEM Hub.  President Michelle Kavanaugh said they recently released results of a study that examined the measure of middle-skills and gaps in the Western New York region.

"The report itself shows that of the four occupational categories, which include mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, Mechatronics and tooling and machining, we have a significant gap for three of them -- the good news is we are working to close -- nicely -- with electrical engineering," said Kavanaugh.

Credit WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Kyle Clapsadle, Craig Clark, Jeff Brauer. Liz Callahan & Michelle Kavanaugh appeared at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership offices to speak with WBFO.

"What are middle skills? Asked Buckley.  Middle skills are those skills that are developed with potentially less than a four year college degree -- anything from high school through two-year or certification program that leads to specific STEM skills and engineering technologies mostly," Kavanaugh responded.

For decades Alfred State, a SUNY College of Technology, has been providing students with the education leading them to STEM jobs.

"We have a whole campus that is dedicated to skill trades and then we have a second campus in Alfred that does more the engineering technology through four year programs, so we've been serving the manufacturing community since about 1940," said Craig Clark, Vice President of Economic Development at Alfred State College.

"At the high school level, we encourage students to get exposed to some kind of technology through a tech teacher or potentially a BOCES if that's possible, the real key component is to make sure you keep your math skills up. We're not talking about high end math, but algebra/Trig and understanding it and how to apply it. I think that is the key component, is making sure you can apply your math skills," Clark noted.

Credit WBFO News photo by Eileen Buckley
Kyle Clapsadle & Craig Clark talk about advanced manufacturing careers.

"A lot more people need to be informed that it's not a bad thing to go into a BOCES program to start and even get your hands dirty and find out just what you want to do," stated Kyle Clapsadle. He is a 2014 Alfred State graduate. 

Clapsadle is employed at Praxair in what's called the Cold Box team. He specializes in process piping- the piping is used in air separation plants all over the U.S. and across the world. He said math is very important in his job.

"So what would be your bit of advice to someone in high school?" Asked Buckley.  "I guess just look into your BOCES programs and figure out what you would be interested in and talk to your advisors, talk about BOCES. I think that was the main starter for me to get into this type of field," Clapsadle replied.

"I think that these jobs should be classified as a skill and a skill trade is a very honorable, respectable career path," declared Jeff Brauer, 2006 of Alfred State College with degree in Machine Tool Technology. Brauer works Haas Factory Outlet which is in Fairport. It's a division of  NYMAT Machine Tool...

"My job encompasses machine repair of computer, numerical control machines," described Brauer. "We do everything from electronic repair to mechanical repair to electro-mechanical repair, hydraulics, pneumatics." 

With a projection of key occupations losing almost 25-percent of their workforce due to retirement in the next ten-years, encouraging future advanced manufacturing careers is essential.