http://www.downstreamtoday.com/news/article.aspx?a_id=43593
The article above got me thinking. For several years now the lack of resources for technology markets has been a hot topic. This no longer is a topic, but the a REALITY of our business today. What I have not heard much about is what are the tools, plans, solutions to solve this gap, problem, or scarcity? The long-term direction is almost too obvious as it has been the same for years: Training, apprenticeships, mentoring, hands-on, internships, so what are some new long-term solutions? More importantly, what are the specifics that you, your plant, your company or your business are doing to solve this problem in the short term?
I recently wrote an article, “Shortage of skilled resources and collaboration centers”, which was published in the 2014 AFPM Annual Meeting daily newspaper, day 2, pg. 14.
www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/.../AFPM_2014_DayTwo.pdf
In reply to Tim Olsen:
Great article, Tim. The dream is about to be realized. I remember back before Emerson acquired Fisher, the handwriting was already on the wall. Smart transmitters were available from multiple vendors and the protocol wars between HART and DE were just beginning. As a valve company, Fisher was reluctantly beginning to realize that there was a lot of useful information available in a control valve, if it could be tapped. Visionaries in Austin were already beginning to speak in terms of control vs non-control information with a notion that the non-control information could dwarf control information in volume and potentially even in usefulness. John Berra staked is reputation and the Fisher-Rosemount future on harnessing the non-control data and giving users a new approach to managing their processes, which was labeled PlantWeb. Meanwhile, technology continued to advance with microprocessor-based CPU and memory following Moore's law and wireless technology following suit plus increasing focus on Human Centered Design. Next year's operators are playing video games at home today and I'm not sure where the next generation's visionaries are. But as the vision of the last generation unfolds, I am excited to see where things go next.
It is a good question. Automation is a very narrow segment of technology. When I was in college, I never took any classes on control theory. I was unaware of the opportunity in automation until I went interviewing and most of the companies I interviewed asked me if I'd be interested in working in process control. It can be stimulating and rewarding work, but it isn't particularly glamorous. In my recent experience, a lot of technicians in automation come from the military. As supply fails to keep up with demand, financial rewards for working in the field will increase, encouraging people to enter the field. But there is a big gap between what people new to the field (college grads or not) know vs what there is to know and what seasoned veterans have learned over a long career.
Heather McGowan is an author who has posted some thought provoking articles on LinkedIn. I don't agree with everything she writes, especially some of the social implications, but it is very interesting to consider some of these ideas. The first one in a series of 4 is at: www.linkedin.com/.../20140620100222-22726740-jobs-are-over-the-future-is-income-generation-part-1
She also has a website: www.heathermcogwan.net
where she lists some other related articles she has written.
In reply to Lou Heavner:
Here is a recent article on OTS, High-accuracy simulator trains offshore oil platform operators. Simulators and automation are a good start with getting less experienced operators hands on experience without the risk of damaging equipment.
www.offshore-mag.com/.../high-accuracy-simulator-trains-offshore-oil-platform-operators-full.html