IMT recently picked the brain of Bart Aslin, director of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers – Education Foundation, to get his take on introducing young people to careers in manufacturing, engineering, science and technology.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers – Education Foundation (SME-EF) is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing manufacturing education through student outreach programs, scholarships and fellowships, as well as college and university grants. Since 1980, the SME-EF has provided more than $23 million in grants, scholarships and awards.

We recently spoke with the director of the organization, Bart Aslin, to get his take on introducing young people to careers in manufacturing, engineering, science and technology.

IMT: There has been much talk of a coming (or, as some claim, ongoing) shortage of homegrown engineers that is setting the United States at a competitive disadvantage with other nations. What sort of difficulties can we expect to see in establishing a new generation of engineers and manufacturing professionals?

BA: For the U.S. to produce competent engineers and manufacturing professionals, the image of what these careers are and their importance to the economy of our nation needs to be addressed.

Today, it is rare to hear kids talking about helping dad work on his ’56 Chevy or how they souped up the lawnmower engine over the weekend. The media and Internet technology has forever changed the activities that the youth take part in, and parents are not an exception to this change. Without the elders passing on the knowledge, our youth is not able to get the same experiences as generations before did by working on the farm, or fixing grandpa’s car, building the dog house, or things as simple as replacing their own doorknobs.

With most shop programs removed from schools, students are no longer able to experience hands-on learning the way those generations before us have. Thus, the idea of building things on their own or creating and inventing new ways to fix or develop projects seems out of reach and scary for many of our youth today.

Because of the push of the service industry on our nation, many young adults see hands-on work such as building things and fixing things as outdated. Many of our youth feel as though these areas are something to be outsourced — easier to pay for than to learn to fix on their own. It just seems out of reach.

With all of the doom and gloom that our youth hears about manufacturing and hands-on careers, naturally they begin to develop a negative perception of this industry. Once students obtain this image, it’s very hard to reverse it. Our students’ lack of knowledge on the subject and lack of confidence in their skills is simply because the students are not exposed to it anymore. Once you expose hands-on ideals to students and instill confidence and innovative problem-solving skills, students are much more apt to seek hands-on careers. The key is to start this exposure at an early age, before they are able to develop fear of the unknown.

IMT: The notion of using prize money to spur breakthroughs in engineering and design has become a particularly booming trend in recent years. Now the concept is even being applied in the business world, with creative companies looking to capitalize on the wisdom of the masses. Do you think contests that offer cash prizes are a good way to stimulate innovation and engage with science-minded youths?

BA: Money may be a motivator, but it is not the No. 1 motivator — especially for young people. Making a difference and using their lives to help others is the No. 1 motivator of young people.

We constantly hear of the need to teach more math and science to our children. That is wrong — the answer to the problem is not more, it is better teaching methods that are needed. We need to teach math and science in a way that taps into the natural curiosity of children. Teaching project-based STEM allows students to gain hands-on experience — the knowledge they obtain is put to practical, real-life use as they work together in teams to become innovative entrepreneurs.

The carrot at the end of the stick is that we provide opportunities for children to learn. To come to understand their likes, their gifts, their talents and how they can best serve humankind. We want all people to wake up each day and embrace their role in the workforce, to find fulfillment and peace in what they do and accomplish.

IMT: What words do you have for the younger generation of students looking to become engineers?

BA: My advice would be for them to prepare themselves for a lifetime of learning. I would encourage them to develop learning skills that will allow them to become flexible to take advantage of the constantly changing world in which we live. It is important that they develop outstanding communication skills so that both their vision and their innovative ideas can be understood by others. It is important that they learn to collaborate and to share their ideas with others so that collectively their vision/dreams will become reality.

Despite the gloom and doom that we are bombarded with on a daily basis, the reality is that we live in an amazing time in history. The innovation and technological advancements of the past will lead to even greater discoveries. Be positive. Be optimistic! As Peter Drucker stated, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Bart Aslin is the director of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Bart is instrumental in the nationally recognized high school engineering program Project Lead the Way (PLTW), particularly in bringing PLTW to middle schools through the Foundation’s Gateway Academies. He was the 2009 recipient of the HI-TEC Industry Recognition Award. Prior to joining the SME-EF, Bart served as vice president for development at Michigan Tech University and worked for the New Jersey Institute of Technology and The Seeing Eye, Inc.