Steamworks and New Opportunities in the Local Economy
By Albert B. Kelly
Sometimes when you are in
the middle of something, it’s hard to see exactly where things stand. I have
that same sense when I think about the future, local economies, and jobs.
Things are moving rapidly and I think we’re just at the very beginning of some
serious change.
It’s the new economy;
things like Airbnb- an online platform that lets people list, find, and rent
lodging- or Uber; a platform that those needing a ride use on their smartphones
to locate a driver. Technology has given us everything from Amazon and Google
to Facebook and Etsy.
Take this “connectedness”
and combine it with technology like 3-D printing and the endless networking
possibilities and you come away with the sense that we will have to find new
ways of thinking about revitalization, growth, and job creation.
The other thing is that
smaller businesses can now buy and sell in a global market in a way that could
not have happened even 10 years ago. Aside from some needed regulatory changes;
the main holdup is how we think about these things and what we see as possible.
As I said, we are just at
the very beginning of a lot of serious change in our economy; that’s why I
think Cumberland County College’s satellite makerspace, called “Steamworks, in downtown Bridgeton, which is set to open the
beginning of October, is extremely important.
The name comes from S.T.E.A.M,
which is the acronym for science, technology, engineering, art, and math; so “Steamworks”
makes sense as the name captures the very heart of what the satellite and the
programs being offered are all about.
It’s not just the specific
programs and equipment it will provide (3-D printing, CNC or computer
controlled cutting), but the fact that Steamworks will help us understand a
little of where digital technology is headed. The possibilities for existing
businesses will be many; such as prototyping new designs and products.
But the possibilities for
individuals will be substantial as well. I say that because in our changing
economy, there will be an emphasis on creating microenterprises and starting
new businesses where people create new products and services and connect to a
wide open marketplace.
Steamworks , in addition
to providing the equipment, could teach people how to start their own online
business; something that is happening in many places today. This is no small
thing. The days of massive manufacturing plants and the jobs they bring with
them are over.
Technology and automation
mean that fewer hands are needed to make the same products or provide the same
services. At the same time, we’ve never had the ability to connect products and
services to buyers and sellers in regional, national, and global markets as we
do today. Geography is not the boundary it once was.
But it also means there is
a greater ability to specialize; meaning we are entering a place where products
and services have to fit into an on demand custom or built framework. People
become artisans producing everything from food to clothes to furniture.
This ability to connect
and custom build using software and 3-D printing means that products can be
custom made for each customer in real time. And with our ability to connect,
the customer base is not confined to a certain number of miles nearby a
storefront, but to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection.
In addition, platforms
like Pay Pal and Etsy mean that receiving payment for the products and services
you provide is no longer a problem. The tools are there; it’s time to help
people understand how they work.
I could be wrong, but I
think this is the new model and the way to create the growth and the
revitalization we need. Steamworks is the first step in a process that will
allow us to empower our small businesses and our residents to create new
opportunities for themselves in a way that was not possible before.
Over the next couple of
months, you will be seeing and hearing more and more about Steamworks and the
programs Cumberland County College will be offering in downtown Bridgeton. The
potential is huge and the possibilities are exciting.
Given the fact that we are
just at the very beginning of a series of changes that will reshape our
economy, I can think of few things more important than providing the tools and
the training for our businesses, residents, and students to grab the future
with both hands.