Sandvik Coromant Focused on Educational Issues

Through a variety of recent activities, Sandvik Coromant has focused on bringing light to some of the workforce development issues facing American manufacturing. The company recently worked with Haas Automation, Inc. during two separate events to promote education in the manufacturing field.

Held on July 15 – 17, 2009 at Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, North Carolina, the 2009 North American Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC) National Conference brought educators from around the country together to discuss the state of technical education. Brian Norris, VP marketing and business, at Sandvik Coromant, delivered the keynote address, “Creating a Skilled Industry Through Education,” on the opening day of the event.

“These types of events are vital to the future of manufacturing in the United States,” Norris said. “There’s really a disconnect with today’s youth: they picture manufacturing as being manual labor in a dirty, gritty environment. We need to come up with effective ways to communicate that most of today’s manufacturing jobs are better thought of as scientists working in a laboratory. They’re rewarding, challenging careers that provide significant financial reward.”

In addition to participating in the HTEC Conference, Sandvik Coromant also brought its Modern Art of Milling event to the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering at Purdue University in late July. Designed to communicate the cost savings achievable through productivity improvements, Modern Art of Milling events were held throughout the country during June and July.

Holding the event at Purdue illustrates Sandvik Coromant’s continued commitment to partnering with the university to further engineering education in America. The two entities, together with Haas, have worked for over a year on the university’s Ideas to Innovation Learning Laboratory, developing curriculum-based training solutions and providing first-year engineering students with practical, hands-on experience.

www.coromant.sandvik.com/us.