New director at education Board!

The SME Education Foundation recently announced that Michael Marlowe, Managing Director and Director of Government Relations at the Automation Federation, has been elected to its Board of Directors.

Michael Marlowe

The SME Education Foundation’s mission is to prepare youth for advanced manufacturing careers through outreach programs encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), most notably technology and engineering.

As the “Voice of Automation,” the Automation Federation also plays an important role in encouraging young people to pursue STEM learning and in expanding awareness about the virtues and value of STEM-related career fields, particularly automation and engineering.

By helping to cultivate the next generation of automation professionals, the Automation Federation seeks to enable America to better compete in global manufacturing and develop innovative products and services to improve the quality of life throughout the world.

According to a press release distributed by the foundation, Marlowe brings to the SME Education Foundation board “a vast amount of knowledge and a devoted passion for educating younger generations about manufacturing” and the many careers opportunities that exist within the industry.

“Mike bring years of industry experience to the table and will help generate increased awareness, dedicated funding and educational development of the next-generation manufacturing workforce,” remarked Brian Ruestow, president of the SME Education Foundation.

With more than 28 years of experience in association management and government relations, Marlowe joined the Automation Federation in 2007. A previous Assistant to former West Virginia governor and US Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Marlowe has worked closely with officials at the White House, Congress and federal agencies as a resource and consultant on all issues relating to automation in manufacturing, particularly cybersecurity and workforce development.

He played a major role in the development of the US Department of Labor’s Automation Competency Model, which outlines the knowledge and skills needed to succeed today as an automation professional. He also contributed to the development of the department’s Cybersecurity Competency Model. • The need to expand interest in STEM-based education is critical to the American economy. The manufacturing-sector employs nearly 12 million people (the equivalent of 1 in 6 private sector jobs) and supports almost 5 million more jobs. However, five percent of manufacturing jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of skilled candidates.