Hartford Business Journal

10 Hartford Business Journal • May 23, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com Q: On your website you say the trend of manufactur- ing jobs going overseas can't be halted. Why not? Hasn't there been cases of com- panies attempting to take manufacturing to foreign countries only to return when the workforce quality wasn't sufficient? A: There is no denying that modern manufacturing relies on an increasingly globalized sup- ply chain. I strongly believe that our goal must be to increase our share of the global manufactur- ing economy generally, but espe- cially in the areas of high-skill, high-demand advanced manu- facturing, such as aerospace and medical devices. I have been deeply involved in President Obama's National Network for Manufacturing Inno- vation Program. By creating a nationwide network of advanced manufacturers, we can improve coordination and help bring inno- vative ideas to the marketplace quicker than foreign competitors. We may not be able to reverse the trends of certain manufacturing being shipped overseas, but we do have an opportunity to use our country's competitive advantages to capitalize on emerging, high- demand manufacturing sectors. Q: One of your goals is to support training in advanced- manufacturing skills. How is Connecticut and the coun- try in general doing when it comes to teaching basic man- ufacturing skills? A: The pipeline from high school to college to the work- force should be integrated and well-managed. To ensure high school students are prepared for good-paying manufactur- ing jobs, schools must focus on teaching basic science, engi- neering, math and computer science skills. At the college level, students should have access to the machines that they will work with on the job. For example, Electric Boat is partnering with the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Invest- ment Board to give commu- nity college students access to hands-on training in anticipa- tion of their surge in demand for new workers. We also need to do a better job of convincing students and parents that manufacturing of today is different than manufac- turing of the past. It's not a dirty, dangerous profession, but rather well-paid and high-tech, done mostly on computers in bright, clean work spaces. n Q&A: Murphy advantage of the newer infrastructure technology com- ing on the market today, Wymant said. "Traditionally, a broadcast antenna could pick up one frequency," Wymant explained, "but now we're developing technology that's more versatile so stations don't have to replace their infra- structure if there's a [channel frequency] change." "This technology will help future-proof our infrastruc- ture, while enhancing the quality of our over-the-air cov- erage," said Matt Varney, vice president of technology for NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 in Dallas-Fort Worth. Wymant expects more broadcasters to follow suit. Once the spectrum is auctioned and stations are repacked, Wymant explained, the government is giving broadcasters 39 months to enhance their studios. "There will be plenty of business," he said. n Changing the Frequency RFS has expanded its manufacturing facility (shown here and below) in Meriden, 200 Pond View Drive, to accommodate increased production and testing of its products. P H O T O S | C O N T R I B U T E D 11 th ANNUAL We all bleed red. Join us for an inspirational evening that supports the programs of the American Red Cross in the Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. June 11, 2016 • 6:00 p.m. to midnight Connecticut Convention Center • 100 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT Response Sponsor Marcum LLP Investor Sponsors ConnectiCare • ESPN Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Hartford Healthcare Pratt & Whitney • Wells Fargo Thank you to our Generous Sponsors 2016 Community Impact Award Colleen Kelly Alexander Survivor. Thriver. Motivational Speaker. 6:00 p.m. Red Carpet, Cocktails, Silent Auction and Mini-Live Auction 7:30 p.m. Dinner and Program Dessert and After Party Back by popular demand — the Clark Eno Orchestra For more information Libby.Richardson@redcross.org • 860-678-4310 redcross.org/redcrossball Event Emcee Jocelyn Maminta We are proud to honor Colleen Kelly Alexander for her commitment to raising awareness of the need for blood donation. As a blood donor turned blood recipient, Colleen uses her story of triumph over tragedy to encourage others to donate blood. Resiliency Sponsor Recovery Sponsor

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