Students, go into manufacturing. It's exciting. – Rio Grande Guardian

PHARR, Texas – David Ortiz, director of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center at UT-Rio Grande Valley, has encouraged high school students to consider manufacturing as a career.

Ortiz spoke to students from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and IDEA Public Schools at the Pharr Economic Development Corporation's 4th Annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr. The event took place at The Forum by Regency.

“There is a myth that manufacturing is boring and very industrial, but it is actually exciting,” Ortiz told the students. “It's always exciting because there are always innovations. happens at a production site. With great people and great teams, problems are always solved. Technology is constantly evolving.”

Ortiz included a slide showing the evolution of automotive manufacturing in the United States. He said that when Ford Motors developed the Model T, which effectively replaced the horse and buggy, they were able to mass-produce it and have a vehicle built every 47 hours. Today, vehicles are mostly assembled by robots, he emphasized.

“I know it sounds a little cheesy, but (manufacturing) is an opportunity to change the world,” Ortiz said. Ortiz pointed to SpaceX as an example.

His presentation included a slide showing SpaceX using its famous “chopsticks” to capture a rocket booster as it returns to Earth.

Ortiz said he visited SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica. He said he was proud to see UTRGV graduates working as engineers at the assembly plant. “For the first time in human history, SpaceX was able to do this. “How cool is that?” Ortiz asked.

Ortiz added: “There are no limits when it comes to manufacturing. There are so many great companies, so many great people and opportunities.”

Ortiz explained to the students how his career in manufacturing unfolded.

“I’m actually a UTRGV alumni. I graduated from UTRGV with a degree in manufacturing engineering and then worked in the maquiladora industry in the medical device manufacturing industry in Mexico for about five years. After a few years I returned to the USA.”

Ortiz showed a slide showing TMAC at UT-El Paso, Texas Tech, UT-Arlington, Lamar University, University of Houston Clear Lake and other higher education institutions across the state.

“We have a team of about 40 employees, about 35/32 engineers and about eight finance people to support manufacturers across Texas.”

Ortiz said TMAC provides business and operational support to manufacturers. He said this was basically advice.

“So we go there and help companies review and analyze their processes, create standard operating procedures from them and conduct analysis to improve them.”

Representatives from local manufacturers such as Alpine, Strong Structural Steel, Emerson, Cinch and IdentiPak spoke at the 4th annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr. The same goes for Mike Willis, executive director of the South Texas Manufacturers Association.

Editor's Note: Here is an audio recording of David Ortiz's presentation at Pharr EDC's 4th Annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr: