What if manufacturing mattered?
August 18th, 2010
What if it was cool to make stuff? What if we advertised manufacturing’s coolness like we advertise beer and cigarettes? Who would be the celebrity spokesman?
What if we took as much pride in university manufacturing programs as with their football programs? What if great manufacturing programs were as profitable as great football programs? What if fans jammed college stadiums every Saturday to cheer manufacturing competitions? What if they were televised like football games? Who would host the pre-game show?
What if manufacturing was valued like professional sports? The World Series of Manufacturing, The Super Bowl of Manufacturing, The World Cup of Manufacturing? Who would do color commentary?
What if manufacturing thought leaders were celebrated like sports legends? What would kids want to be when they grew up? Whose face would be on the cereal boxes?
What if government understood the importance of manufacturing? Who would lead the charge?
Posted in 10 Responses to “What if manufacturing mattered?”
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Mike Shipulski
I nominate Mike Shipulski to the task of “Making Manufacturing in the United States of America Cool, exciting and lucrative.”
I can’t help commenting on your manufacturing enthusiasm…What if???? We’d have stronger communities and a bigger middle class…it would be great to create more long term manufacturing jobs. I’m sick of cuttin’ ’em!!
Thanks, Harriet.
Mike
Make jobs, don’t cut ’em. Now those are words to live by.
Good historical perspective. Thanks for sharing.
What do you think we should do about the situation? Are you willing to do something about it?
Mike
Somebody must be watching “How It’s Made” on the Discovery Channel, or they wouldn’t be showing it. But it’s not like the days in Dearborn when everyone’s dad, mom, and grandpa worked at Ford, and that was the goal of many a kid tearing down an old car in the driveway.
I hope “How It’s Made” (glad you brought it up, Karen) is being watched not only by people like us, working in and passionate about manufacturing. Mike, would you like to start a Manufacturing TV Channel? That would be very cool…
There are some positive legislative and governmental developments regarding a National Manufacturing Policy. I support these initiatives and will question political candidates on their position regarding US manufacturing and all related policies which affect it.
What can we do? Be very proud of working or understanding manufacturing; make a point at every university you fund (for yourself or your children) that you want your money to go to education and the promotion of manufacturing programs (I did and also expressed my complete disapproval of their obsessions with sports); make your buying decisions, whether as consumers or as professionals, in support of US manufacturing; never give up on the idea that US will be again an advanced manufacturing economy.
I would LOVE to do a TV show on manufacturing. Have any ideas on how to get this going?
Anyone have connections to help me start a TV show on manufacturing and its importance to the economy?
Awesome posting, Mike.
Manufacturing TV Channel? Very interesting! Some content/programs already exist. Perhaps collaboration with The Science Channel or Discovery Channel.
Perhaps some short videos on Youtube would be a start. Many already exist on the website. I have attached a web site that my students see when they access information about the program in my school. I’d like to know if you think it to be effective and what you would do differently if necessary. I’m all for making manufacturing a respected and desired profession again.