I would first like to thank everyone for taking the time to read and respond. Your comments are appreciated
Here’s the subject of this discussion. Why has the American Automotive industry abandoned so many of its American Design and Engineering Professionals? Let’s get to Designers first. In 1994 there were over 8000 Designers in Detroit. There were about 10,000 jobs. Lots of overtime and lots of advancement opportunity. Designers were able to acquire many skills through company training programs, and education reimbursement programs. Many of us took advantage of all these benefits. We got good at what we did. Essentially acquiring engineering skills through practical experience and we worked independently most of the day or week (entire Program) without a lot of direction from the Engineers. Consequently, Many Designers didn’t get a bachelor in Engineering. So now that things have leaned out and all jobs are at a premium the requirement has become in most circumstances that you must have at least a bachelors degree. Of coarse this isn’t always the case with all suppliers but it is in most cases with the OEM’s. Hey, I think education is of the up most importance but if I had the choice between a guy that for the last 15 years has been crunching out quality CAD data and knows his way around an Engineering environment or a green 21 year old fresh out of college. I think the choice is clear. But that’s me. I’m a Designer and a little bias. I have gone back to school and am working towards my Engineering Degree but many of us displaced designers are in our late 40’s and early 50’s. Wow there’s a trend. Is it because we were making the big bucks after years of dedication to our trade? Or is there another reason. That subject can be discussed at another time. Maybe entitled "Why The Automotive Industry Won’t Hire Older Workers" I know that the powers that be have convinced themselves that they need Designer/Engineers someone to wear both hats. That’s great in a perfect world where all the meetings and problems that an engineer deals with could revolve around his tube time. Here’s what’s going on. This newly created job description of DESIGNER ENGINEER revolves around setting up a cad job. Not actually performing allot of difficult cad functions. They do the groundwork like typical sections feas studies etc. And then they ship the real work out to China or India. Designers have been victims of a stroke of the accountant’s pen. I don’t understand why no one is talking about this. Especially when GM and Chrysler have taken all this bail out money. USE AMERICAN DESIGNERS It may sound like I’m whining a little, well, I probably am. But, if this is the kind of corporate strategy that is indeed becoming the standard. Can you blame us? These are important Jobs that require a fair amount of skill, dedication and time on the job to do well. Not to mention the same old argument that so many of us have had with our Industry peers. Who’s buying the vehicles? We are. Because we have good paying jobs and can afford them. How many Cars do we sell at $20,000 plus in China or India? Look, I realize the North American automotive industry is in survival mode. But I feel that part of the recovery should be focused on getting some of these skilled tradesmen back to work here in this country. Here’s a scary statistic. Our Economy is 75-80% consumer driven. DO THE RIGHT THING FOR AMERICA We (THE USA) simply don’t have an overwhelmingly profitable export. In other words we buy what we make. But we don’t make anything anymore. If ever there was a good argument for some degree of protectionism. This would be it. (STOP OUTSOURCING ) Now, onto the Engineers. Engineers are flocking out of Detroit at an alarming rate. Why? Because there’s not only a huge shortage of jobs but they can work in the aerospace or military sector or anything other than the hemorrhaging Automotive Industry in the way they have become accustomed. They’re not required to do a lot of CAD in Aerospace, Military etc. I’m not minimizing the engineer’s problems. It’s not all that easy for an engineer to make the transition from Automotive to something else. Please, don’t misunderstand me Engineers have been hard hit with the down turn in the North American Automotive Industry and whenever anyone has to uproot there family and move away from there home town. It’s devastating. The Detroit Engineering Community is dwindling down to where many talented people have abandoned the Automotive Industry Completely. The engineering student enrollment in Detroit area colleges is down 73% since 1999. I know I talked my son out of Engineering. Where does the industry expect to gain a competitive edge when its employees can’t afford to buy their product? Not to mention their own Countrymen. STOP THE MADNESS. Thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment or vent. And if you get the chance visit my web site. http://www.blogger.com/www.plastec-design.com
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