Pratt Center

On November 12, Pratt Center Director Adam Friedman participated in a webinar panel on engaging members of Generation Z (young people born between 1990-2002) in the field of sustainable manufacturing. The panel took the following questions as a catalyst for discussion: what makes manufacturing cool? How do we get today’s youth excited about new opportunities in manufacturing? The discussion was led by Anita Brown-Graham, director of the Institute for Emerging Issues.  

Manufacturers and allied organizations are concerned that young people come to the workforce armed with a variety of stereotypes and other assumptions that make them less inspired to take on careers in manufacturing. They worry that manufacturing is not in-keeping with the values of sustainability and environmental protection and preservation. Manufacturing portends a lack of job-security as evidenced by massive layoffs and the closing of plants and production facilities in decades past. But as Mr. Friedman pointed out, manufacturing now seeks to merge environmental and economic concerns. Manufacturers are at the forefront of green infrastructure and design, creating sustainable products for a variety of uses while facilities are complying with new environmental standards aimed at increasing productivity and efficiency while protecting and improving the natural environment.  The entire webinar is featured below.

The discussion also focused on how manufacturing consists of both intellectual capital and manual labor. Taken together, these two elements create a field that demands creativity and technical precision from its laborers. The panelists explained that manufacturing is seeing new opportunities for integration with other aspects of economic development and education. Students, teachers and school administrators are encouraged to look into Manufacturing Extension Partnerships that can direct young people towards internships and other resources that will better prepare them to enter the workforce after they complete their education.

Enhancements to the manufacturing sector have direct implications for community development. Not only does manufacturing create jobs for local economies, but it creates business for facilities like labs and industrial centers that can provide new manufacturing firms with office and production space. Manufacturing is in-keeping with Generation Z’s focus on local economies and DIY production models.