Jack, H., “Education, A Supplier for Every Company”, Westec Manufacturing Summit, Los Angeles, CA, March 2007.

Education, A Supplier for Every Company

by Hugh Jack, Ph.D., P.Eng., Professor and Chair, Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering

Grand Valley State University, 301 West Fulton, Suite 718, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

phone: 616-331-6755, email: jackh@gvsu.edu

 

The Question: What are you doing as an education institution to partner with industry and solve their workforce, education and training problems?

 

The Answer: For my institution the relationship is cooperative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Successes:

 

- Our graduates are easily employed.

- Grand Valley State University was named Supplier of the Year 2007 by Mill Steel.

- We have been able to reverse manufacturing enrolment trends with the Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering program.

 

 

 

Challenges:

 

- The image of manufacturing is reducing student demand for manufacturing programs

- In our area there are a number of problems commonly identified by employers

communication

problem solving

project management

knowledge of applicable technologies

knowledge of current topics