Addressing the skills gap starts by sparking interest in manufacturing, says one of the nation’s most recent industrial success stories, Steve Staub. Staub, president and co-owner of Staub Manufacturing Solutions, Dayton, is an OMA and a NAM board member, and a dedicated leader and spokesperson on the issue of manufacturing workforce. This recent IndustryWeek story highlights Staub’s tireless efforts to promote the manufacturing sector, especially to the upcoming generation of employees. According to the article, he is “quick to point out over the course of a lifetime, a welder can earn more than an attorney” since “welders can start earning salaries several years sooner, due to nine months of schooling compared to six years or more.” IndustryWeek notes that “when Staub advocates for manufacturing to school superintendents, ‘half of them have no idea’ about how good a manufacturing job can be.” To boost young people’s interest in the manufacturing sector, Staub chairs a Dayton-area program called Xtreme STEM, which features such activities as 3D printing and robotic competitions. 4/10/2019