Visualizing the jobs of tomorrow for today's students

We must educate today's students for the jobs of tomorrow - jobs we can't even envision yet.  Teachers, I think you've heard this a time or two, right?  It is a resounding and very real chorus.  If we have learned anything from the past, it is that the world is changing very quickly.

If you look at the industrial period, the precursor to the boom of national pride and the American middle class, manufacturing was king.  Made in the U.S.A. was everywhere.  In today's world, manufacturing is now pictured along side struggling towns and out-of-work factory workers.  But, I just read a fascinating article about how that is changing and for the first time in quite awhile, manufacturing jobs and factories are on the rise-they just don't look the same.

I've had the pleasure of going to the Ford Motor Co. F-150 plant to see the truck assembled and it is so cool.  It is conflicting with the traditional imagery of factories that we grew up with from our history books though - no dust or oil, no scary machines but rather clean, safe and sophisticated. TIME took a look at manufactoring companies in the U.S. and they are thriving in many cases, adding space and jobs. GE's battery business is a prime example of products coming out of NY state and ideal to explain even one step further what is so different in today's manufactoring world. 

While the "factory worker" may still be scarce in comparison to the old days, the exchange is on research and development jobs.  And within the factory, parts are literally speaking to each other and the manager via the Internet and censors.  And the creation of parts companies have formally been forced to go oversees is increasing due to the visionaries behind 3-D printing. 

What I loved about this article - and it is an in-depth article - is you can start seeing the future that today's children will enter.  And it is an educated future!