SPREADING THE WORD
Selling rewarding careers
by Service Dealer Editor, Steve Gibbs
 
Steve Gibbs

A perennial issue which is discussed by trade associations, manufactures and dealers is how to attract more young people into the outdoor power equipment industry.

 

There's a feeling that young people who are entering their working lives with an interest in, and an aptitude for machinery, are more likely to be tempted by the automotive industry. Lawnmowers, tractors and the like have traditionally had less of a pull, I guess because of the perception that land-based machinery doesn't have the career prospects, or the advanced technology, of the automotive world.

 

The subject was discussed at the Service Dealer Conference recently. Jim Wade, Principal of the JCB Academy, took time out to explain to the delegates the great work that the school does, developing engineers and business leaders of the future.

 

He said that one of the reasons why the school was developed in the first place was that engineering in general wasn't being spoken about enough to young people.

 

"Currently there are few people in schools promoting technical careers," Jim said. "That’s why we set up our own school with a technical curriculum bias, aiming to encourage specialisation in engineering and business, and train engineering apprentices by giving them a purpose to their learning and an understanding of why basic skills subjects are necessary."

 

Jim said the JCB Academy's aim is to sell a positive message about where engineering training can lead, and encourage the belief that 'this could be you' when it comes to rewarding careers.

 

He did also put the onus on the dealers in the room though that they should be selling themselves to their own local educational establishments - letting the careers departments know what they can offer bright and ambitious graduates.

 

This may well not have happened much in the past. The industry, and dealers in particular, have been accused for many years of hiding their light under a bushel somewhat. Perhaps this was because they felt they didn't have the sexy technology to shout about which young people would be interested in? But surely that argument doesn't hold up any more?

 

The sophistication of machinery dealers sell today, across homeowner, professional turfcare and agriculture, is truly cutting edge. Also the tools and methods used to maintain these machines, would not have looked out of place on an episode of Star Trek a few years ago (and I'm talking Next Generation not the original series!)

 

Take this new announcement from Case IH, which says "mixed reality" will soon be being used to help maintain their tractors - 

 

CASE IH HoloLens - Agritechnica 2017

 

Surely anyone with an interest in engineering would find that a thrilling proposition? The statement from Case explaining the system says the Microsoft HoloLens which is used "goes beyond ‘Augmented Reality’ into ‘Mixed Reality’, displaying holograms in the user’s field of vision with a mapping of the environment, allowing the user to place holograms in the real world, and move them as desired or needed while respecting the physics of the environment around the headset."

 

Goodness me! That even reads like a passage from a William Gibson novel.

 

If this 'mixed reality' is on its way for agricultural machinery, there's no doubt it'll also be utilised by turf machinery manufacturers soon enough.

 

If young people looking to start their careers in engineering were made aware that this was the type of groundbreaking technology they'd be dealing with on a day to day basis, maybe the industry would be a more attractive proposition and not perceived as a lesser relative to automotive?

 

The key must be getting the word out there into schools and colleges.

LikeLike (0)
In this issue
EDITOR'S BLOG
SPREADING THE WORD
NEWS
ISEKI UK & IRELAND LAUNCHED
TRACTOR SALES BOUNCE BACK
PELLENC APPOINT SCAMBLERS
CLAAS AWARD THEIR DEALERS
IBCOS CONGRATULATE THEIR WINNING CUSTOMERS
NEW DEALERS FOR CASE IH
MASSEY FERGUSON IMPLEMENT NEW AFTERSALES INITIATIVES
TWENTY YEAR MILESTONE FOR SIMON RICHARD LTD
ATKINS FARM MACHINERY FITS EXTRA SAFETY SYSTEM
LAWNMOWING WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
JOBS
ALLETT
HUSQVARNA UK
GHS LIMITED
Sponsored Product Announcements
SHOWCASE YOUR NEW PRODUCTS HERE
Events
LATEST SHOWS & EXHIBITIONS
PARTNERS
STIHL GB
Bagma
Evopos
GardenCare
Garden Trader
Grizzly Tools
Handy Distribution
Henton & Chattell
Husqvarna
Oregon
Robomow
Rochford Garden Machinery
uni-power
TurfPro
CURRENT ISSUE
November / December 2017
PRODUCED BY THE AD PLAIN