How Manufacturers Can Become More Involved In Education

It’s a pretty common reply to questions about manufacturing problems: The solution to the shortage of skilled workers is to create partnerships between actual manufacturers and schools. With more and better communication, manufacturers will be able to ensure that they have a workforce coming down the pipeline; they can spread the word about the amazing […]

Prisoners Turned Welders: How Prisons Are Training Future Manufacturing Workers

In prison, there’s not much to do. With limited time allowed for exercise, television, and other activities, prisons aren’t necessarily known for a wide variety of recreational and educational opportunities. Recently, however, waves of prison reform have spurred activity in the direction of advanced education and preparing the incarcerated for careers as welders, machinists, and […]

STEM Teachers: The Other Skills Gap

We discuss the skills gap on the blog fairly often, and that’s because the shortage of skilled workers to fill manufacturing positions across the country is a tremendously important inhibitor to manufacturing growth. However, there’s another skills gap that isn’t discussed as frequently, and that is the teacher skills gap. As programs to develop the […]

Nebraska Manufacturers Offer Tuition Reimbursement Programs

There’s a reason that many companies provide both actual, tangible pay, as well as more flexible benefits. The ambiguous term, “benefits,” gives companies leave to support their employees in a variety of important ways that go beyond salary. For example, one of the most common benefits is health insurance. This is important for the employee […]

Manufacturing Reads: A Self-Education

“You blew 150k on an education you could have gotten in $1.50 in late fees from the library.” The above is one of the most famous lines from the classic film Good Will Hunting. The lead character, Will, is a self-made man and a math genius with a powerful memory. For those who believe in […]

Certificates, What’s the Deal?

Most people associate going to a university or community college with achieving a degree, either a bachelor’s or an associate’s. These degrees will help prepare students for careers in a skilled trade, in many scenarios. However, there is more than one reason to register at your local community college: Students without time to pursue a full […]

Changes Coming to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

From the literary naturalist Loren Eiseley to geneticist George Beadle and engineer Harold Edgerton, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has always produced successful figures in the engineering, science, and technology fields. And as one of the leading teaching institutions in Nebraska, as well as a prominent research leader, the school has always paved the path in […]

Putting the Agriculture in STEAM

Remember our post on putting the A in STEAM? If not, here’s a quick refresher. When you discuss increasing emphasis on any subject area of school, whether that be English, social studies, or as in this case, STEM, a debate is inevitably sparked about what that really means. Subjects can feel left out that one […]

The Construction Industry Will Continue to Thrive in 2015

There’s only so much projecting and speculation analysts can do about the future, but one way to get a good grip on what will be happening in the manufacturing industry in Nebraska is to do just that– talk to the manufacturers. That’s why this week, when the Lincoln Journal-Star reported the results of a recent […]

Putting the A in STEAM

We discuss the skills gap in a variety of contexts on the blog, and a major part of this issue is the lack of STEM education throughout America. For those who are unfamiliar, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math– all important fields for a variety of manufacturing and manufacturing-related careers, which is in […]