Intel to Invest up to $8B in US Manufacturing Push
Chip giant Intel (www.intel.com), headquartered in Santa Clara, California, announced its plans to invest $6 billion to $8 billion on deployment throughout its US fabs of its 22 nm manufacturing process, the next generation after 32 nm technology, which is in production now. The investment will fund construction of its newest development fab in Oregon, as well as upgrades to other fabs in Oregon and Arizona.Intel’s new development fab in Oregon, dubbed D1X, is expected to begin R&D activities in 2013. The $6 billion to $8 billion in funding will also go toward upgrades at Fab 12 and Fab 32 in Chandler, Arizona; and the D1C and D1D fabs in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Intel generates about three-fourths of its revenues overseas, but three-fourths of its microprocessor manufacturing is still done in the US. The new investment commitment allows the company to maintain and expand its existing manufacturing employment base at these sites. Also many US companies stand to gain from this investment as well.
The latest round adds to a US investment announced early last year to support manufacturing upgrades that led to Intel’s 32 nm technology. The chipmaker’s first 22 nm microprocessors, codenamed Ivy Bridge, are expected to be in production in late 2011. The continued technology advancement enables the chip industry’s ongoing mantra of smaller, faster, cheaper.
Kudos to the Intel Management Team for re-investing in America! More US companies need to follow this lead.
The below video is worthy of watching. We can all make a BIG difference in a short amount of time if we make the effort to conserve energy, waste less and do things smarter. At the end of the video you can find out more about this fine organizations efforts and how you can make a difference. Or you can see their site at www.fouryearsgo.org
The oft-maligned practice of re-gifting in many social circles is now seen as a method that’s less lazy and cheap than it is responsible.
With the holidays upon us and with the economy still trying to rebound, finding ways of giving within a your gift budget is a pursuit that many are taking seriously. In fact, a National Re-gifting Day has been declared by the creators of a website, Regiftable.com, a site devoted to passing along your unused treasures. They have declared the third Thursday of December as the new national “holiday” as it is in the prime time for many office parties. According to their research, four in 10 re-gifters target coworkers as recipients.
“In case you are hesitant to break tradition,” the site states, “you can rest assured that the majority (60%) of people think that re-gifting is becoming more accepted.” Almost 25 percent believe it is more accepted as a way to save money while 14 percent even regard it as a method of recycling. One man’s re-gift is another man’s treasure!
Should you still cringe at the idea of giving away the waffle iron or the battery operated wine bottle corker, the folks at Regiftable have composed a primer on the subject to help walk you through it.
The following is information recently reported by one of the top job listing sites. It is very clear from below that job recovery has started in many sectors. Especially encouraging are the increases in job ADs for hospitality and retail as these are good indicators that consumer confidence is increasing – a sure sign that people are spending more money than on the basic necessities. See our JOBS tab or use our JOBS SEARCH to find a job listing that is right for you.
March 2010*
Industry
Job Postings
Annual Change
Accounting
124,153
12%
Construction
87,492
0%
Education
93,224
11%
Financial Services & Banking
205,227
15%
Healthcare
593,545
-4%
Hospitality
78,805
33%
Information Technology
256,866
17%
Manufacturing
80,575
22%
Media and Newspaper
34,930
30%
Real Estate
29,868
29%
Retail
301,849
42%
Transportation
60,579
16%
*Statistical approximations have been used to compute these results.
The 2011 Job Outlook survey from NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers)
The top 5 candidate skills desired by employers:
Verbal Communication Skills
Strong Work Ethic
Teamwork Skills
Analytical Skills
Initiative
Source: Job Outlook 2011, National Association of Colleges and Employers
While the NACE organization focuses on entry-level careers, the above list is important at all levels to stay competitive. So how do you score?
If you are a job seeker do you have specific examples for each of the above skills? Do you have multiple examples that show a range for each? For example, regarding verbal communication skills you might highlight your ability to have difficult conversations, your concise and clear communication style, your engaging presentation style, or your ability to communicate effectively with different types of people. These are all compelling and very different attributes of verbal communication. For strong work ethic, this could mean working long hours, working a volatile or heavy travel schedule, or working in turnaround situations against all odds. You need to know your unique skills and experience to position yourself effectively for what prospective employers care about.
Even if you are happily employed, work environments and priorities change. You want to make sure that you are not getting complacent and allowing your skills to rust. The above five skills are always valued, but the standards by which they are measured change over your career. Maybe you got to where you are now because of superior analytical skills and despite below average communication skills, but now you are a manager. You may not get a pass for your lack of communication skills now because proficiency is measured differently at different levels. On the flip side, maybe you were always a great people person with soft analytical skills, but now you have been promoted to running a budget and need to get the numbers to work. The strengths that served you and the weaknesses you could dismiss might be different now. In addition, as situations and people change, your style and approach might need to be modified.
For both the job seeker and the happily employed, you want to translate the overall top five list to your specific prospective employer’s or current employer’s top five list. You want to know the top five desired skills for your specific industry, functional area at your specific level. These overall survey results are a great framework to start reviewing your skills and experience, but they are not a substitute for paying attention to your market and getting regular feedback from people with whom you regularly interact.
How do you score on these 5 commonly desired skills?
Do you know if these skills match your target or current area?
What do you need to do in the next 30 days, 90 days, 365 days to improve?
Back to Innovation and Less Government Intervention
“The Innovation and the American Dream” video below expresses the frustrations that so many Americans are feeling, that the economy is not on track and the American Dream is no longer within reach for many hardworking citizens.
But it does not have to be this way. It’s time Washington lawmakers take a page from Americans innovators and entrepreneurs to guide the nation toward a comeback. Americans, with their ingenuity, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, have the ingredients for success. We only need Washington to support an economy where entrepreneurs are free to compete, to pursue their dreams while creating new jobs.
Economic Rebound Threatened by Lack of Skilled Workers
According to a recent research paper by Manpower Inc, workers with specialized skills like plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and welders are in very short supply in numerous global economies. “It becomes a real choke-point in future economic growth,” according to Manpower Chief Executive Jeff Joerres. The report went on to say that the shortage of skilled workers is the one of the top hiring challenges in six of the 10 biggest economies.
The report also stated that this problem has been developing since the 1970s. Since that time parents have been coaching their children that a university degree is the ticket to gaining entry into the financially secure “knowledge economy” sometimes also referred to the information age. Joerres also noted that, “all of the skilled trades offer a career path with an almost assured income and also make it possible to open one’s own business”.
The current recession and persistent high unemployment may lead parents coaching their children as well as young people entering the workforce to reconsider their options. The skilled trades category also includes jobs like bricklayers, cabinet makers, painters and butchers or any jobs that typically require a specialist’s certification.
Frito-Lay, a PepsiCo subsidiary, recently announced plans to add more than 176 all-electric trucks to its delivery fleet over the next year and a half. Already five all-electric trucks have been deployed for the company’s New York routes this month, with plans to implement a total of 21 all-electric trucks by the end of the year.
They plan to add another 155 all-electric trucks by the end of 2011. The company already has six EVs operating in its Canada fleet which are made by Smith Electric Vehicles. They get up to 100 miles on a single charge, and, like any electric vehicle, are virtually silent.
Frito-Lay launched its first EV trucks in the New York metropolitan area in part because it was given a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Frito-Lay estimates that once all 176+ Electric Vehicles (EVs) are implemented, it will save the company in excess of 500,000 gallons of fuel a year. ”With the seventh-largest privately owned fleet in the U.S., Frito-Lay has set a goal of becoming the most fuel-efficient fleet in the country,” the company said in their recent press release. Smith Electric is currently working with other companies to fulfill similar EV delivery truck plans.
If you are looking to automate your home with Z-Wave lighting and appliance control, the Vera Z-Wave Web-Enabled Automation Controller will give you the power to take advantage of full-featured home automation and make it simple. The Vera system is based on a Wi-Fi access point that links with your wireless router. Once connected, the Vera interface can be accessed as a web browser from a web-enabled PC, phone or PDA anywhere in the world. You can remotely program scenes, events and timers that activate an individual device or group of devices throughout your home. You can also receive remote notifications via a text message, email, or a phone call when certain things happen that you want to be notified of.
In addition to Z-wave products, Vera is also able to control certain wireless IP Cameras and audio video equipment. Vera offers the convenience to control lighting, climate, draperies and a variety of devices using your cell phone, iPhone, iPod or other handheld remote. The intuitive program allows you to see how much you’re spending on energy and gives you remote access see what’s going on in your home by watching your cameras from a PC or cell phone. They claim it can help a typical family reduce their energy bill by about 33% . The Vera system claims to be able set up in minutes and allows the novice home automation enthusiast to get everything you would expect from a high-end home automation system.
12%
