Comments on: US Manufacturing: Is It Sustainable?

By: Joseph Pearl

Joseph Pearl — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:52:58 +0000

I agree with the economists. Manufacturing is vitally important to our economic prosperity and standard of living. Probably not sustainable though.

Joseph S. Pearl, LL.M. – A Professional Law Corporation
1400 Chester Ave., Suite C
Bakersfield, CA 93301
661-281-0253

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By: Chet Namboodri

Chet Namboodri — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:24:22 +0000

Mr. Gandecha, thank you for sharing your story of growth through a manufacturing engineering career path. I believe you’re right that it starts with the influence of parents. U.S. Retro-Boomer generations simply have very limited exposure, examples, or mentors on the rewarding professions of engineering and manufacturing. Boomers parented with the premise that service careers are the path to wealth and enlightenment, and their children saw manufacturing as an outsourced commodity for developing nations to deliver. STEM education was de-emphasized over decades in the U.S., and now we’re resolved to a state of unconscious incompetence. We have limited expertise and very limited interest in manufacturing-oriented careers. I think you’re right: parents of young children should be our targets to educate on the virtues of a sustainable manufacturing economy.

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By: PGandecha

PGandecha — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:07:15 +0000

As a young boy growing up Africa, I was thrilled at the art, science and business of “making things”. Back then almost everything we consumed was imported from other parts of the world. However there was a strong emphasis from government and private sector to evolve community based cottage industries towards modern manufacturing of packaged foods, plastics and other locally consumed goods. I pursued a masters in manufacturing engineering with the intentions of contributing to the growing manufacturing sector in the country. It has really served me well throughout my career. As economic opportunities rapidly shift to services oriented professions in the US I wonder if I would encourage others to pursue a manufacturing career in the US today. As you point out, if many US parents are thinking the same, I wonder how this impacts the long term sustainability and growth of the manufacturing industry in the US.

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