Firstly, what are SILOS? Self Interested Sections of Our Societies.

With insurance liability concerns, many companies do not allow plant tours, or get involved with academia to help bring realities of business world to the modern academic curriculum.

Never before have we had the tools to be so connected but yet we allow us to be so far apart. Students are making decisions without calibrating their aspirations with current and future opportunities.

So how do we get more interaction between generations?

What are Maker/Hackerspaces?

There are over 220 Maker/Hackerspaces throughout Europe. They have different names and do not worry they are not sinister places where people steal your credit card with a computer. Please see: http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces

These are like community workshops, where people can gain access to tools, equipment and support to help learn how to make stuff (whatever they decide that to be).

To help more companies locate more talent, help more underemployed locate job, I am personally helping build one in Greensboro. Members who pay only $45/month will have 24 hours per day, 7 days per week access to make whatever they desire. They will be provided access to five 3d printers, over $500,000 worth of computers to design and develop new products and skills. Members will also have access to metal and wood working equipment and a support group of like minded tinkers, fixers, builders, designers. Check out www.greensborohackerspace.org to see the one I am helping build. We are in the process of renovating a 150 year old building that used to house the town’s blacksmith shop and that is why are planning calling it The Forge.

These facilities are providing hands on options for more to develop the skills and exposure to the realities of automation, robotics, 3d printing and modern manufacturing processes and opportunities.

The Makerspace/hackerspace movement is gaining momentum around the world. And I am actually recommending to the Whitehouse led Advance Manufacturing Partnership committee that 4 year and community colleges set up student led projects to design, fabricate, set up electricity, stock with 3d printers, set up tool benches, mobile maker spaces to be shared at sporting events, malls, repurpose libraries, and in Kindergarten through 12 grade schools, so that more get exposure to fundamental skills of fixing and making stuff.

These initiatives should help foster the interest for current students to develop vital skills and inspire future students with mobile workshops to help calibrate their aspiration to future opportunities in the skilled sector as well.

As a result of these groups, skills are being developed, new products are being built, jobs are being filled and new business is being launched. If you do not have a hackerspace located near you, contact me and I will provide counsel to help you build one in your community.

Let’s keep on Fixing it Forward!