One important new committee met recently in a conference call to start the Association’s efforts to move the ball forward on a variety of issues related to the ability of our members to attract new talent to the industry and, ultimately, to their own workforce. There is a lot going on in our country on this subject; MCAA wants to help its members take the right actions locally to help themselves and our industry. The following is a brief overview of our goals, as set forth by the Board with a little wordsmithing by me. The Committee is considering this write-up as something we would provide to those with whom we want to partner or ally ourselves with. I’d welcome your comments about the goals and any recommendations you would make about how we could tighten the language or the focus of our efforts.
“MCAA’s members are keenly aware that their businesses face a significant and ongoing loss of knowledge and experience as older workers retire over the coming 5-10 years. Sparking interest in, and attracting new talent to, our industry is a key goal of the Association to which individual member companies and their key executives are devoting considerable resources.
The Association hopes to develop tools for member companies to use at a local level to encourage students from elementary through graduate engineering schools to consider the exciting careers available in the process measurement and control industry. MCAA members believe that these new employees can help solve significant world problems of clean water, sufficient food, disease and much more. We seek to partner with teachers, career counselors, school districts, community colleges, technical schools, colleges, universities, engineering schools to increase awareness and develop curricula and training resources.
We will align our efforts with those of other major businesses in critical industries in the United States to raise awareness at local and state levels of the needs for STEM curricula in schools to raise the science and math skills of our students.
Our member companies will seek to find ways to extend internships and externships to promising students, to offer equipment and information to local schools, community colleges, technical schools and engineering schools. We will encourage current employees to become ambassadors for the industry and to develop Subject Matter Experts who can assist in local or regional training programs.
We want to partner with other organizations to disseminate information about careers, compensation and, most importantly, the opportunities that are available from this important and vibrant industry.”
