4 June 2009

Pinto’s Point

Automation jobs declining

By Jim Pinto

The skills shortage in America mirrors the continuing decline of interest in automation jobs. Few consider a factory job an exciting career; most just drift into it by happenstance.

The speed of change brings a mismatch of skills. Experienced people know all the old things like instruments, controllers, good wiring practices, and safety procedures. But they are novices at the new digital skills like networking and communications, which comes through younger, usually lower-paid “technicians.”

In the final analysis, the problem is pay. Many bright young engineers insist that in American industry at large, there is not any shortage of engineering skills, just lack of rewards.

To circumvent the problem of skills shortages, or perhaps to reduce costs, end-user companies simply contract whole projects to large automation suppliers or systems integrators, or even go offshore. But that merely passes the problems along, and the company loses control of vital engineering skills.

And therein lies the rub. Automation careers that are generally not held in high regard here in the U.S. are greatly respected and even coveted in developing areas like India, South America, and the Far East. Today’s global market offers easy availability of foreign engineers, with skills that match the need and willingness to fill the gaps.

Many think it is only the low-skilled jobs that are going offshore. That is simply not true. More and more high-value design and systems-engineering positions are going offshore, leaving little but systems integration and manual-labor to be done locally.

Let’s talk solutions to this skills enigma: Recognition the automation profession remains at the core of a countries success, the key to its prosperity.

Related links:

• InTech e-News – Automation jobs just don’t pay enough
  http://r.listpilot.net/c/isa/3o9mfzc/1r5bq
• InTech e-News – Automation skills shortage:
  http://r.listpilot.net/c/isa/2o6tbfr/1h142
• InTech e-News – Outdated compensation mechanisms:
  http://r.listpilot.net/c/isa/3m8apai/1qiuo

Behind the byline

Jim Pinto is an industry analyst and founder of Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com. Read the Table of Contents of his book, Pinto’s Points, at www.jimpinto.com/writings/points.html.