Dear Friends,

The year 2011 ended with an encouraging jobs report. Hiring is up while unemployment fell to 8.6 percent, the lowest rate in nearly three years.

But behind the headlines, of the 120,000 jobs added in one month some 64 percent were either in the retail or service industries. Certainly it is good news Americans are going back to work, but the average retail industry wage is about $11.50 an hour, while the manufacturing industry wages range from $18.00 to well over $31.00 per hour.

One of the great ironies, however, of the nation’s current tight job market is there are more available manufacturing jobs than there are qualified workers needed to help keep the economy moving forward. That is why the SME Education Foundation’s mission to develop a strong manufacturing workforce is more vital than ever.

Thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors and partners, individual donors, valued SME members and volunteers, over the past year, the Foundation has: 

• Enhanced the award-winning Manufacturingiscool.com website and added “The Edge Factor Show,” an interactive online destination for young people to learn what’s new and now in manufacturing technology;
• Established a new $2 million endowment created in memory of one of its greatest champions, Earl E. Walker;
• Launched PRIME (Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education), which grants high schools around the country a total of $15,000 to upgrade manufacturing equipment or software, provide teacher training, and establish hands-on summer programs; and
• Awarded over $680,000 in scholarships to outstanding engineering and technology students from diverse parts of the country.

These milestones, along with the Foundation’s long history of investing millions of dollars in youth programming, have helped thousands of middle and high school students discover the science and technology of making everything that improves daily life and keeps America moving.  Additionally, the organization has given $6 million in scholarships that have made it possible for undergraduate and technical students to pursue rewarding and often well-paying jobs in both industry and academia.

As we begin 2012, I am looking forward to returning to my previous role as Foundation president and championing new ways to make the most impact of your generosity.

The New Year is expected to bring a new round of scholarship applications from around the country, continued investment in the PRIME program, as well as ongoing enhancements to our online resources found on www.smeef.org.

Please consider joining me in being a part of the Foundation’s ongoing and future efforts to develop a highly skilled and well-paid manufacturing workforce.

Sincerely,

Glen H. Pearson
President, SME Education Foundation - 2012