Imagine not being able to buy our favorite products when we most want them, or if critical healthcare inventions could not be produced promptly and safely, causing stress or even costing lives while waiting. From sustainable water bottles to complex mechanical parts like those found in a plane engine, the manufacturing process behind developing these items is made possible by advanced technology, like Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines. This leading tool of modern manufacturing dominates the industrial world, creating a high demand for CNC operating specialists. As we move to re-shore the manufacturing of key products, it has never been timelier to invest in this manufacturing method and the workforce training it requires.
The CNC method of manufacturing computerizes the use of machinery through embedded, pre-programmed computer software. The most common application for CNC manufacturing is creating metal and plastic parts, but it can also be used to produce a variety of other complex materials. Investing in CNC technology reduces costs, increases precision, reduces waste, and improves worker safety. This technology provides a confident path to success in industries where one costly mistake can render the whole product useless.
A wide range of industries rely on CNC, including aerospace, health care, automotive, and energy. From MRI machines to car brake parts, CNC technology ensures the evolution and consistency of these important industries by creating identical intricate parts. Given CNC’s advantage, it only makes sense to double down on investing in the technology and the people who need to be trained on its use.
Preparing the Workforce Needed to Support this Technology
Being a CNC specialist requires specialty training and certification, but it does not require advanced education degrees. The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation provides two types of free CNC training because many advanced manufacturing tenants at The Yard and industries in New York City rely on workers with these skills. One program trains and certifies entry-level operators, and the other already upskills certified specialists with a couple of years of experience. Every year, the organization sponsors multiple 16-week training cohorts that support scores of New Yorkers as they gain new, marketable skills that can help them attain jobs at and outside of The Yard.
The curriculum was developed through conversations with Brooklyn Navy Yard businesses after discovering the need for CNC operators. The entry-level CNC Operator Training curriculum is based on the NIMS CNC certification pathway to ensure that students can attain industry certifications as a part of the program in core CNC operator skill areas, including safety, machine operations, 3-D milling, and lathing. The more advanced CNC Programming Course provides an upskilling opportunity for students with over two years of experience in CNC operation and/or advanced manufacturing. This curriculum is based on the Mastercam Certification pathway. It provides participants with the skills to use the CAD/CAM software to program and upload designs into a CNC machine for production.
Both training programs offer a mix of classroom and hands-on experience with projects executed on real CNC machines so trainees can build competency in key skills early with instructor support. Also, skill certification testing is embedded throughout the course rather than at the end to ensure that students effectively master compounding skills at each step.
A Training Program Crafted with the Realities of ‘Life’ In Mind
The programs were also developed with community needs in mind. To ensure flexibility and mobility, they are part-time and hosted on Saturdays to allow employed community members to participate without loss of income. This makes the program more accessible to new pools of potential talent who are interested and motivated but, due to family or work obligations, can’t manage a full-time training program.
To guarantee top-quality training, The Yard specifically hires seasoned instructors with at least 5-10 years of industry and teaching experience. To provide the students with genuine hands-on experience, classes are held inside some of The Yard’s companies with CNC machine shops and at the Brooklyn STEAM Center’s CNC lab, an NYC Public School embedded at The Yard.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard’s programs are a win-win for everyone. Tenants benefit by having an on-site training program that creates an accessible talent pool of certified CNC operators and allows their own workers to upskill. The training programs also allow the Brooklyn Navy Yard to tap into new audiences who have never been exposed to industrial trades and don’t know about the quality careers available in the City in advanced manufacturing. Some groups, like women, people of color, and low-income families, have greatly benefited from CNC training and have achieved the credentials to attain higher-wage jobs.
Expanding the Manufacturing Workforce to Stay Ahead of Supply Chain Disruptions
Without argument, one of the biggest lessons learned after the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to produce specific products locally again. Whether it’s personal protective equipment or semiconductors, the U.S. relied on other countries to manufacture items critical for survival and economic flow. That’s why investing in CNC technology is prudent to secure the future of urban, advanced manufacturing, reinforce local supply chains in high-density communities like New York City, and strengthen the overall national workforce to benefit a more resilient economy. It is also critical to invest in CNC workforce training given its proven societal benefits, like increased economic mobility for those without higher education. It is a trend that many traditional manufacturers are working to adopt. It is on track to continue to grow throughout the country as economic development organizations like the Brooklyn Navy Yard and even the federal government invest in the training required to support the industry.
Investing in CNC technology is a significant opportunity to strengthen local supply chains, expand the nation’s manufacturing workforce, and improve the safety of industrial workers. Through the increased utilization of CNC technology, manufacturing can efficiently be conducted in urban environments, bringing higher-paying employment and economic success, as has been proven through this program at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Sources/References:
- https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/cnc-machining-projected-to-be-100b-industry-by-2025/
- https://amfg.ai/2024/02/27/revitalizing-u-s-manufacturing-reshoring-restoration-initiatives/
- https://www.manufacturingusa.com/key-initatives/covid-19-manufacturing-recover
- https://calderamfg.com/resources/blog/made-with-cnc-machine/
- https://qviro.com/blog/what-industries-use-cnc-machines/
- https://www.uti.edu/blog/cnc/6-cnc-machines
- https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/computer-numerical-control-CNC#:~:text=Computer%20numerical%20control%20(CNC)%20is,machining%20metal%20and%20plastic%20parts.
- https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/23/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-highlights-new-commitments-toward-equitable-workforce-development-in-advanced-manufacturing/
