Automation in the spotlight at career development conference

The importance of automation to the global economy cannot be overstated. To that end, the U.S. will need an educated workforce if it wants to remain competitive with other economies developing advanced manufacturing techniques. A career conference to be held in July will address this important topic.

The Automation Federation (AF) announces that Peter Martin, Ph.D., an expert in the field of automation and a strong advocate for automation workforce development, will deliver a presentation, “Building the Next Generation of Automation Professionals,” on behalf of the AF at the 2013 National Career Development Association’s (NCDA) Global Career Development Conference taking place from July 8 to 10 in Boston.

During his lecture, Dr. Martin, Vice President of Business Value Solutions at Invensys Operations Management and a Fortune magazine “Hero of U.S. Manufacturing,” will speak on the vital importance of expanding automation training in preparing American workers for advanced manufacturing jobs.

“To compete in today’s highly competitive global manufacturing environment, skills training and competencies in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are essential,” says Dr. Martin, who has held executive and technical positions in engineering, product and strategic planning, marketing and training throughout his career. “Career and guidance counselors play a highly important role in building awareness among students and in their communities of the benefits of automation careers, and what courses and skills training are most needed to best prepare for them.”

The NCDA, a member association of the AF, works to empower students to achieve career and life goals by evaluating student performance, recognizing student strengths and potential, and providing counseling, advocacy, and supportive resources. The NCDA’s 2013 Global Career Development Conference, a celebration of the association’s 100th anniversary, will showcase recent achievements in professional development, share best practices, and examine new initiatives, programs, and products.

The AF is actively working to promote the value and significance of the automation industry, and to develop and attract a new wave of automation professionals. It works with a variety of private and public organizations, including high schools, community colleges, and universities, to stimulate interest among young people in STEM and enrich and broaden automation curriculum. As part of its commitment, the AF recruits organizations, such as NCDA, to become members and support its various workforce development initiatives.

In 2009, Dr. Martin received the ISA Life Achievement Award, recognizing his work in integrating financial and production measures that improve the profitability and performance of industrial process plants. In 2002, InTech magazine named him one of the 50 most influential innovators of all time in instrumentation and controls. He holds multiple patents, including patents for dynamic performance measures, real-time activity-based costing, closed-loop business control, and asset and resource modeling.

For more information, visit the Automation Federation website.