Research Triangle Park, NC, 2 September 2008: ISA announced today that YAPFEST 2008 will feature an educational panel discussion hosted by Plant Engineering magazine. The panel session will be held on 14 October at the Reliant Center in Houston, TX, during ISA Expo.
“We all recognize the crisis we face in the manufacturing and technology sector globally. The editorial staff of Plant Engineering magazine came to ISA with some great ideas to educate our young attendees about the opportunities available in automation. ISA's mission is to educate and motivate the next generation of automation professionals, and this fits perfectly with those goals,” said ISA President Kim Miller Dunn. “We’re thrilled to have their support.”
The panel discussion hosted by the magazine will focus on helping attendees to understand the issue of workforce development, why so many manufacturers are taking the issue seriously, and how the public-private partnerships between manufacturers and community and education leaders are starting to work together for the future of jobs in automation. “Plant Engineering has been ahead of the curve on the issue of workforce development, the skilled worker shortage and the need to promote and celebrate manufacturing as a career,” said Editor Bob Vavra. “The YAPFEST program will help us reach out to that young engineer in new ways.”
Professionals from three other groups will join speakers from Plant Engineering on this educational panel: AutomationDirect, InTech magazine, and Tyco Valve.
In addition to sponsoring and hosting the panel session at YAPFEST, Plant Engineering will also announce its Future 30 program, which will recognize 30 outstanding young manufacturing professionals around the country. The Future 30 program will culminate with a special issue in the February 2009 edition of Plant Engineering. The 30 honorees will be invited to attend the 2009 Plant Engineering Manufacturing Summit.
“Our Future 30 partnership takes that effort a step further and identifies the skills, characteristics and success that today’s young plant professionals use every day to advance the effort toward quality manufacturing,” said Vavra.
Plant Engineering will also lead YAPFEST attendees on a tour around the ISA Expo show floor to expose them to the inner workings of automation in one location.
YAPFEST is a social gathering for young automation professionals and students who study engineering and other automation fields. The gathering offers free food and beverages, raffles for prizes, musical entertainment, scholarship opportunities, and networking with potential employers. Attendees are encouraged to bring their resumes and network with a number of the industry’s leading company representatives.
Free registration for automation professionals and students, ages 18-30, is available online at www.isa.org/yapfest or by phone at 919-549-8411.
Companies who are looking to recruit employees interested in the automation fields are encouraged to sponsor YAPFEST. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.isa.org/yapfestsponsor or call Chris Johnson at 919-990-9230.