Wichita State Poised For Massive Growth

[WstateU]

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[WstateU]

Aerospace hi-tech composites technology is generally ITAR/EAR controlled. So there will be significant hurdles for a foreign company to come in and effectively work in this area. Also, a foreign company has nothing to teach or help in aircraft certification process - that is just beuaracratic paper push excersise. Maybe this might make a difference if there was a significant market for US product in India, but there is not due to corruption and reality they want to design and build their own products, not import. This is really a disgused attempt to to try and transfer technology and information to India.

Are you saying Bardo, Tomblin and others are being hoodwinked?

[DUShock]

Tis the era of multi-national...

[SB Shock]

Are you saying Bardo, Tomblin and others are being hoodwinked?

Tomblin said

The agreement with the company is unusual, and by no means simple,

So I think he realizes the hurdles are significant. If they are really coming to Wichita in the hope to staff up a engineering firm like what Airbus had did in Wichita and work on their global projects and they are hoping that their teaming up with NIAR will give them some credibility -- maybe that is workable.

If they are coming in expecting to come into town and provide services to the aviation manufacturing - I don't think it works as the timing seems wrong. Aviation is flat in this town with Boeing gone. Textron Aviation (Cessna/Beech) already have a significant global presence in Mexico and India. I don't see spirit hiring them for their services (engineering is union). Bombardier engineering is mainly in Canada except for what they have support the Learjet model 85 development - which if rumor is true in in trouble.

[Shocker-maniac]

I can't believe that the WSU admin didn't do their homework and have conversations with the aerospace manufacturers to gauge their level of interest and to see if this arrangement would be feasible. Seems like that would be a vital part of the development of this program. I understand the skepticism towards this especially with the level of union involvement in this community. Personally I wish that there was not one single job that was off-shored or subassembly components that were shipped here from overseas, but sadly that is no longer the case and I doubt that it will go back to that. I agree that it is unfortunate that an American company did not step up to partner with WSU on this. Pure conjecture on my part, but I'm guessing there was not interst by an American employer on this. I know several engineers that do contract work, some by choice but most out of necessity. I have seen them sweat it out as their contracts come up. Sometimes it works fine for them, but sometimes they experience gaps between contracts. If this arrangement can help with this then it seems like it is a benefit to our community.

[SB Shock]

I can't believe that the WSU admin didn't do their homework and have conversations with the aerospace manufacturers to gauge their level of interest and to see if this arrangement would be feasible.Seems like that would be a vital part of the development of this program.

Idk, I don't really thing there is alot of long term planning done. There is the Aviation Sheet Metal Training Center on 21st street that has been closed down and is vacant. Over at Jabarra there is the WATC and National Center for Aviation - beautiful, state of the art buildings - but some of the facilities are being used for nursing due to the downturn in aviation.

I understand the skepticism towards this especially with the level of union involvement in this community. Personally I wish that there was not one single job that was off-shored or subassembly components that were shipped here from overseas, but sadly that is no longer the case and I doubt that it will go back to that.

The article is not talking manufacturing, but services and not about jobs being shipped off, but created. It says Mahindri wants to create a engineering services company here in the city - but they have been trying to do this for awhile. When Cessna and Beech were looking globally before wall street crash, Cessna decided to start Cessna India while Beech contracted out engineering services from an Indian company (I don't recall the name), Mahindra was one of the company vying for the engineering services contract. Mahindra was also trying to buy Beech while they were in bankruptcy (I assume they failed because they don't have enough cash). So this is not all new.

What it is not clear is how WSU really fits into the whole picture - what are they providing in this partnership? In one way they say they are creating 200 engineer jobs - which definitely is not a bad thing. but then I read the following:

The company will help WSU train engineers, who will then live here and work for Tech Mahindra doing projects for local companies, including in composite materials manufacturing, advanced materials, aircraft certification and structural testing,

Which I read to mean that they will send Indians over to school at WSU, and then these individuals will stay in country upon graduation and work for Mahindra in the U.S. doing projects? Does WSU sponsor them to get green cards?

I agree that it is unfortunate that an American company did not step up to partner with WSU on this. Pure conjecture on my part, but I'm guessing there was not interest by an American employer on this.

Cessna/Learjet/Spirit work with NIAR through contracting out structural testing, material testing, environmental testing and CAD/CAM. NIAR also does the dynamic seat testing among other things. All the airframe manufuacturers (boeing/textron avaiation/spirit/gulfstream) actually fund NIAR to do research in about 5-10 research projects a year such as bird strike analysis modeling to acoustics. They also provide interns to at least some of the companies.

I know several engineers that do contract work, some by choice but most out of necessity. I have seen them sweat it out as their contracts come up. Sometimes it works fine for them, but sometimes they experience gaps between contracts. If this arrangement can help with this then it seems like it is a benefit to our community.

Well, engineer contractor choose the darkside because they get paid a significant $$$ (including OT) that a salaried engineer doesn't. The price is this their jobs are more fluid and have they have to go where the work is. But, due to contractor lawsuit I think against Microsoft, contractor are now limited for how long they can work for a company.

[Shocker-maniac]

nm

[SB Shock]

I continue read and re-read this story I have just come to the conclusion it is written by somebody who doesn't understand the industry and context of the announcement. The real story is likely this:


1. Mahindra would like to expand their engineering services into U.S. market.
2. Mahindra would like to get their engineers trained in U.S. methods and analyses.
3 WSU and Mahindra have formed a partnership.
4. Where it would be beneficial for WSU NIAR and Mahindra to collaborate they will.
5. Right now it is not known exactly that collaboration will be but they are looking at different options - besides maybe students from India are sponsored by Mahindra to attend WSU, once they graduate they would work for Mahindra Tech who hope to build a tech company to provide services in the U.S.

[Shocker-maniac]

NetApp finds ‘secret source’ of IT talent in Wichita

Looks like there will be more announcements on new sign-ups that will likely happen over the next few months on partnerships and the innovations campus at WSU.

http://www.kansas.com/2014/07/19/355...source-of.html

[pogo]

I continue read and re-read this story I have just come to the conclusion it is written by somebody who doesn't understand the industry and context of the announcement. The real story is likely this:


1. Mahindra would like to expand their engineering services into U.S. market.
2. Mahindra would like to get their engineers trained in U.S. methods and analyses.
3 WSU and Mahindra have formed a partnership.
4. Where it would be beneficial for WSU NIAR and Mahindra to collaborate they will.
5. Right now it is not known exactly that collaboration will be but they are looking at different options - besides maybe students from India are sponsored by Mahindra to attend WSU, once they graduate they would work for Mahindra Tech who hope to build a tech company to provide services in the U.S.

You put into words what I was unable to do. And you know me I am seldom at a loss for words. I feel that this was the gist of the article as well.

[pogo]

NetApp moved the production of their products from Guadalajara (where LSI had moved it from Wichita) back to the US but it went to South Carolina.

[1972Shocker]

There is a lot more going on in Dr. Bardo's mind than just the Innovation Center which of course is great.

Dr. Bardo's long-term plans and goals are very lofty to say the least. The status quo is apparently not part of Dr. Bardo's lexicon.

[SB Shock]

There is a lot more going on in Dr. Bardo's mind than just the Innovation Center which of course is great.

Dr. Bardo's long-term plans and goals are very lofty to say the least. The status quo is apparently not part of Dr. Bardo's lexicon.

Are u hinting football is coming back?

[1972Shocker]

Are u hinting football is coming back?

It might, but unfortunately it was not mentioned in the grand plan that I saw although there was some decent spending on athletics in the draft plan that I saw. I really can't say much more than that at this point.

[WstateU]

There is a lot more going on in Dr. Bardo's mind than just the Innovation Center which of course is great.

Dr. Bardo's long-term plans and goals are very lofty to say the least. The status quo is apparently not part of Dr. Bardo's lexicon.

Are u hinting football is coming back?

"I've just closed my eyes again
Climbed aboard the dream weaver train
Driver take away my worries of today
And leave tomorrow behind"