EPRODEC European Production Engineers CertificationManufacturing in 2020 will be exciting, dynamic, and competitive.
(Source U.S. National Research Council)
Mihai Nicolescu, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden
EPRODEC European Production Engineers Certification
Manufacturing in 2020 will be exciting, dynamic, and competitive.
(Source U.S. National Research Council)
Mihai Nicolescu, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden
Manufacturing
Defined in broad terms as the processes and
entities required to create, develop, support, and
deliver products, shaped by many forces including,
social, political, and economic, as well as
technological.
Manufacturing and EU economy
“The European Union (EU-25) Manufacturing industries employ about 34 (30.4%) million people and they generate annually €1535 (41.5%) billion of value added”
European Manufacturing competitiveness
There is great concern that Europe no longer has the reservoir of expertise in manufacturing to take full advantage of the exciting opportunities and to meet the challenge posed by foreign competitors.
Today's growing rate at which new technologies are being introduced into manufacturing has created a large demand for production engineers competent in the new technologies.
Socio-demographic change
The ageing European society and increased cultural diversity as a result of immigration and the enlargement process in the European Union will affect many industries, especially the health care sector, providers of personal services, and the consumer product industry. It is also very likely that the manufacturing sector in 2015-2020 will be confronted with a considerably older workforce compared to today.
Workforce in Manufacturing
The issue of workforce mobility and the availability of skilled personnel might become a critical factor for manufacturing.
Manufacturing will be called upon to provide solutions for new societal needs and the challenges of the ageing Europe and a culturally more diverse society.
Integrate new knowledge and improve workforce skills
The manufacturing sector will seek staff who are able to work in flexible environments and collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams. Increased workforce mobility might offer both an opportunity and a threat to manufacturing companies, since the knowledge of individuals cannot easily be maintained when they leave or change jobs.
Industrial training and lifelong learning are likely to become critical for manufacturing companies to remain competitive.
Need for a New Rewarding System
Mediocre career prospects
After working in manufacturing, highly qualified engineers often transfer into non-engineering or non-manufacturing classifications that offer salary increases or other rewards.
Manufacturers must recognize the loss they suffer when an experienced manufacturing engineer leaves the production function because there is no salary or promotion incentive to stay in that classification.
Manufacturing Career
Manufacturing has not been highly regarded as a career path for students because of its curious position in industry.
The best students in engineering rarely choose to take manufacturing-related courses, even when they are available. Instead, they choose the much more popularly regarded courses such as computers and communication.
European Education
European universities are at the crossroad of a dual deficit: the EU spends only 1.1 % of GDP (US: 2.3%) on higher education and only 1.9 % of GDP (US: 2.7%) on research.
Manufacturing Education
There is considerable uncertainty about what a manufacturing engineer is in terms of education and training, as well as the nature of manufacturing and engineering and the skills and ideas involved.
EPRODEC GOALS
EPRODEC addresses Lifelong Learning
To understand and define the needs of the manufacturing industry for training and education in manufacturing strategy on a global basis
To enhance the interaction among educators in PE from European countries.
To establish a unitary, transparent European education and accreditation system in Production Engineering.
Enhance the prestige of manufacturing as a profession and as an intellectual challenge.
European Validation
Agency National Centre National Centre National Centre Accreditation
Institution
Accreditation
Institution
Accreditation
Institution
QA Committee
Accreditation Centre Educators Training
Centre European Production
Engineer European Production
Engineer European Production
Engineer FEANI
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