1. INDUSTRYFOCUS
18
IMPO
•
MAY
2011
A
ccording to a speech delivered by President Obama in
2009, nearly 7,000 students drop out of school every
day and only one-third of all graduating students can
perform at the 12th-grade level. Fifteen million children,
adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities want opportunities
to succeed. One in five students has dyslexia, and one in every
110 American children has been diagnosed with
autism, including one in 70 males.
A recent Emmy Award-winning movie, based
on the life of Temple Grandin, Ph.D., brought
to life the thinking patterns of individuals with
autism spectrum disorders and, more importantly,
the accomplishments they are capable of with the
right nurturing. Grandin says, “While impairments
and challenges do exist, greater progress can be
made teaching these individuals when parents and
teachers work on building the child’s strengths and
teach in a manner that is aligned with their basic pattern of think-
ing.”
One of TIME magazine’s 25 “Heroes” of 2010, Grandin will
speak during the AME International Excellence Inside Conference.
She will share her challenges and experiences working in the
manufacturing sector as an individual with autism, and will explore
methods for successfully teaching students with learning disabilities.
Following her doctorate research on the effect of environmental
enrichment on the behavior of pigs, Grandin published hundreds of
industry publications, book chapters, and technical papers, as well
as 45 refereed journal articles and seven books. She has done
extensive work designing handling facilities; in fact, half
the cattle in the U.S. and Canada are handled in equip-
ment she has designed. Currently a professor of ani-
mal sciences at Colorado State University, Grandin
continues her research and teaches courses on live-
stock handling and facility design.
Throughout the years, organizations—and manu-
facturers, in particular—have realized that preparing
the next generation of workers is an integral step in
securing well-trained employees who can help fuel
future economic prosperity. Engaging parents, com-
munities, and businesses in the educational
system can positively affect students’
academic and social performances,
particularly for those who find learning challenging.
In order to improve the educational system and address students’
learning needs, the first step is to understand each student’s learn-
ing capabilities. Identifying learning challenges early and applying
appropriate teaching methods is the key to their future successes.
Students must have the ability to use their skills fully, and teach-
ers, parents, and employers must know how to help them succeed in
school, work, and the community.
Without skilled workers in manufacturing, the North American
economy would not function. The National Association of
Manufacturers (NAM) and its Council of Manufacturing
Associations published a 2010 report, “Manufacturing Resurgence:
A Must for U.S. Prosperity,” which reinforces the notion that manu-
facturing production creates more substantial economic activity than
any other sector. NAM reported that 80 percent of manufacturers
surveyed are experiencing an overall shortage of qualified work-
ers. We must all remember that developing these qualified workers
started in the schools.
The educational systems must provide relevant cur-
riculums and teaching styles to help students actively
participate and learn the basics. For example, dyslexia—a
learning disorder that makes reading, writing, and spelling
difficult—is not caused by lack of intelligence or desire
to learn. With appropriate teaching methods, individu-
als with dyslexia or other learning challenges can excel.
Grandin suggests implementing hands-on courses in
high school, such as art, carpentry, drafting, welding, and
sewing, as those classes stimulate practical problem-
solving skills. Studies indicate that dyslexia is
particularly prevalent among small business
owners, with approximately 20 to 35 per-
cent of U.S. and British entrepreneurs
Developing Skilled Manu
Developing Skilled Man
Identifying Learning Challenges and Applying
Appropriate Teaching Methods
By Glenn Marshall, Director-at-Large of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence
Although developing qualified workers
starts in the schools, industry profession-
als must revitalize the manufacturing sec-
tor now, so future generations have the
opportunities for which they long.
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affected by dyslexia. Many coping strategies are developed subcon-
sciously by the individuals, but it all goes back to understanding how
each individual learns.
Although developing qualified workers starts in the schools, indus-
try professionals must revitalize the manufacturing sector now, so
future generations have the opportunities for which they long. To
accomplish this, businesses need the help of both public and private
sectors. Policy-makers must provide an infrastructure with the neces-
sary resources; and business, government, academia, labor unions,
and learning organizations must collectively focus on developing and
sustaining a successful, lifelong learning environment. To increase
businesses’ competitiveness and workers’ productivity, the educational
system must produce students and workers capable of quickly master-
ing new skills and adopting new ways of thinking and learning.
Glenn Marshall is a Director-at-Large of the Association for
Manufacturing Excellence and Benchmarking Champion at
Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. Contact Marshall at glenn.mar-
shall@ngc.com.
www.impomag.com
IMPO
Manufacturers
anufacturers
AME Dallas 2011
The Association for Manufacturing Excellence
invites public and private organizations to share
best practices and lessons learned to help grow
and sustain a prosperous economy, while filling
the demands for a skilled workforce, at its 2011
International Excellence Inside Conference in Dallas,
October 24-28, 2011.
This years keynote speakers will include the
aforementionedTemple Grandin, along with Mike
Rother, author of the bestselling book,Toyota
Kata, and Gus Whalen, Chairman ofThe Warren
Featherbone Company of Gainesville, GA.
Other notable highlights include conferences on
industry topics such as “Lean Enterprise Business
Simulation,
” “Approaching Zero Equipment
Stoppages,
” “Cultures that Build Winning Dream
Teams,
” “LeanTools for the Office,
” and many more.
AME is still offering early bird registration
discounts through June 30th. For more information,
or to register, visit www.ameconference.org.
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