This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Assembly Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
Assembly Magazine logo
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • How-To-Guide
    • Buyers Guide
    • Factory of the Future
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant of the Year
      • About Plant of the Year
      • Nomination Form
    • Capital Spending
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace
    • Appliance
    • Automotive
    • Medical Devices
    • DFMA Assembly
    • Green Manufacturing
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Electronics Assembly
    • Machinery Assembly
  • TECHNOLOGIES
    • Adhesives
    • Assembly Presses
    • Automated Assembly
    • Dispensing
    • Motion Control
    • Screwdriving and Riveting
    • Plastics Assembly
    • Robotics
    • Test and Inspection
    • Welding
    • Wire Processing
    • Workstations
    • New Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Assembly in Action
    • Automation Profiles
    • On Campus
    • The Editorial
    • Moser on Manufacturing
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Focus On
    • eNewsletter
    • Blog
    • Store
    • Product Spotlight
    • White Papers
    • Integrated Showcase
    • Sponsored Insight
  • MEDIA
    • Assembly TV
    • Webinars
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • eBooks
  • EVENTS
    • Calendar
    • The Assembly Show
  • CONTACT
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Custom Content & Marketing Solutions
    • Market Research
  • AEM
    • AV/EM News
    • Autonomy
    • Connectivity
    • Electrification
    • Mobility Services
    • Assembly and Testing
  • INFOCENTER
    • Collaborative Robot Revolution
    • Factory of the Future
    • Smart Pressing Technology
    • Sensing Solutions
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Editorial: Tomorrow's Talent

You have 0 Articles Left This Month. Register Today for Unlimited Access.

Columns

Editorial: Tomorrow's Talent

May 1, 2004
Don Hegland
Order Reprints

A brief announcement on National Public Radio at the end of March reported that Radio Flyer, while keeping its headquarters in Chicago, plans to outsource manufacturing to China before the end of this year. Thus the Radio Flyer, arguably the most famous little red wagon in the world, becomes just the latest icon of American manufactured products to move offshore. According to the report the Chicago plant where the metal wagons are built is too expensive to maintain, and about half of the 90 people in the plant will lose their jobs because manufacturing the Radio Flyer in China will cost less.

These announcements always stimulate arguments over whether outsourcing is a good thing or a bad thing, and whether we're losing or gaining more jobs in one sector or another. Lost amid these arguments is the equally pressing issue of whether skilled and talented people are actually available to fill some jobs. The tool room may not have the cachet of the engineering department, but without it no manufacturing plant will long continue to manufacture.

You have 0 complimentary articles left.

Register for free today to continue reading!

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Privacy Policy

Related Articles

Editorial: Investing for Tomorrow's Workforce

Manufacturing Insights: Talent Search

Editorial: Jobs-A Conundrum

State of the Profession 2007: Crunched for Time and Talent

Subscribe For Free!
  • Digital Edition Subscription
  • Assembly eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Mobile App

More Videos

Popular Stories

honda engine manufacturing

Honda Investing $200 Million to Expand Ohio Assembly Plant

assembly medical device ebook

Automating Medical Device Assembly

Chrysler Belvidere assembly

Stellantis Temporarily Shuts Down Illinois Assembly Plant

Upcoming Assembly Events and Webinars

Events

September 17, 2020

Automated Screwdriving with Collaborative Robots

As more companies automate their screwdriving processes with collaborative robots, there are many factors to consider to ensure employee safety, consistent required torque high degree of repeatability and zero defect products. Join Universal Robots and screwdriving experts Atlas Copco for this joint webinar featuring the latest developments in automated screwdriving.

March 11, 2021

Automation 201 – Clarifying Your Requirements for Project Success

In our popular "Automation 101" webinar, Epson helped guide automation professionals with a simple step-by-step framework for getting started with robotics. Automation 201 picks up where 101 left off by taking a deeper dive into the critical topic of understanding your project requirements and their associated performance trade-offs. 

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Biden Administration

What should be Biden administration’s top priority for U.S. manufacturers?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Manufacturing Cost Policy Deployment (MCPD) Profitability Scenarios: Systematic and Systemic Improvement of Manufacturing Costs

Manufacturing Cost Policy Deployment (MCPD) Profitability Scenarios: Systematic and Systemic Improvement of Manufacturing Costs

See More Products
assembly buyers guide

The latest news and information

Content focused on processes, technologies and strategies for assembling discrete parts into finished products

Register!
  • More
    • Assembly Plant of the Year
    • Manufacturing Group
    • List Rental
    • Organizations
    • Connect
    • Want More?
    • Polls
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Survey And Sample
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2021. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing