THE AUTOMATION FEDERATION NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Bernard H. Penney
(919) 990-9291
bpenney@automationfederation.org
Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina Honored at the Automation Federation Headquarters
Research Triangle Park, NC (14 August 2009) – Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina was honored today by the Automation Federation at their headquarters in Research Triangle Park, NC.
The Automation Federation presented the Senator with a plaque recognizing him "for his early and continued support of the Automation Federation's goal to build the next generation of automation professionals."
Senator Burr has been one of the earliest supporters of the Automation Federation's workforce development initiatives and the benefits these initiatives will bring to the nation's workforce. In one of the earliest meetings with the Automation Federation, the Senator recommended that the Federation meet with the U.S. Department of Labor, specifically the Employment and Training Division, to learn more about how they could work together and provide the necessary support for developing the next generation of automation professionals. The Senator set up the initial meeting between the Automation Federation and the Department of Labor and regularly receives status updates on the Federation's workforce development initiatives.
The resulting partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor and the Automation Federation led to the collaborative development of the Automation Competency Model. This Model is integral to spreading the word about automation careers, and the requisite skills, by the Automation Federation. A competency model is a clear description of what a person needs to know and be able to do—the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform well in an occupation. The Automation Competency Model will help individuals better understand what automation professionals do and what knowledge and skills are needed.
Steve Huffman, chair of the Automation Federation government relations committee, stated, "Senator Burr has become an advocate for the efforts of the Automation Federation, especially our efforts to promote awareness of and prepare workers for automation jobs, particularly in North Carolina. The Senator has been with us since the very beginning of our work to generate awareness for the automation profession with Congress and several governmental agencies. This is why we are honoring him today. We are privileged to have an advocate for our cause as committed as Senator Burr."
After receiving the recognition, Senator Burr stated, "Automation is the key to growth of manufacturing in this country and we need unbiased organizations like the Automation Federation to generate the Standards and Competency Models that we will need to propel this nation forward."
The automation professional is responsible for many vital aspects of industry and its processes, including safety, security, and efficiency. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of automation professionals available for the vast number of jobs requiring and that will require their knowledge and skill sets. This shortage is what the Automation Federation's workforce development initiatives are focused on eliminating.
The Automation Federation is working to educate the world about the importance of the automation professional. They are emphasizing the importance of math and science to high school and grade school students in an effort to guide them towards lucrative careers in automation. The Federation is working to gain the appropriate recognition for the automation profession and for the creation of defined career and educational paths for future automation professionals in our institutions of higher learning.
Chair of the Automation Federation, Kim Miller-Dunn, said, "The Automation Federation is laying the groundwork and providing key resources for current and future workers to prepare themselves for automation careers that are critical for improving and sustaining our quality of life. Automation professionals will play a crucial role in protecting us from cyber-attack, ensuring the reliability and efficiency of our electric power systems, improving the safety and reliability of our transportation systems, and increasing the competitiveness of manufacturing operations in today's global marketplace."
For more information about the Automation Federation's workforce development initiatives and the Automation Competency Model, contact Mike Marlowe, director of government relations for the Automation Federation, at mmarlowe@automationfederation.org.
About Senator Richard Burr
On January 4, 2005, Richard Burr was sworn-in to serve North Carolina in the United States Senate. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, Richard quickly established himself as a passionate legislator.
As Senator, Richard continues to focus on job growth across North Carolina by working to ensure a robust economic environment and strong public schools. He is dedicated to finding common-sense solutions to increase access to affordable, quality health care for all North Carolina families. He is a vocal advocate for our men and women in the military and their families, and for the growing population of veterans across North Carolina.
In the Senate, Richard serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee where he works to improve the quality of health care and service our nation's veterans receive. Burr also sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; and the Intelligence Committee.
The son of a minister, Richard and his family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina when he was a young child. After graduating from Wake Forest University, he began his career far from the halls of Congress by spending seventeen years in business with Carswell Distributing, a wholesale commercial products company.
He currently serves as a Board Member of Brenner Children's Hospital.
Richard and his wife, Brooke, have two sons.
About Automation Federation
The Automation Federation is a global umbrella organization under which member associations and societies engaged in manufacturing and process automation activities can work more effectively to fulfill their missions, advance the science and engineering of automation technologies and applications and develop the workforce needed to capitalize on the benefits of automation. The Automation Federation is working to become the "Voice of Automation." For more information about the Automation Federation, visit www.automationfederation.org.
