Everything TMAC's David Ortiz said at the 4th Annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr

Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

PHARR, TEXAS David Ortiz, director of UT-Rio Grande Valley’s Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, 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 Pharr Economic Development Corporation’s 4th Annual Manufacturing Day in Pharr. The event was held at The Forum by Regency.

“There's a myth that manufacturing is boring, that it's very industrial, but it's actually exciting,” Ortiz told the students. “It is always exciting because there is always innovation. happening at a manufacturing site. There's always problem solving happening with great people and great teams. There's always technology developing.”

Ortiz included a slide showing the development of manufacturing in the auto industry in the United States. He said when Ford Motors created the Model T, which effectively replaced the horse and cart, they were able to mass produce it and get one vehicle built every 47 hours. Today, he pointed out, the vehicles are largely assembled by robots.

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

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

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

Ortiz added: “There’s no limit in manufacturing. There are so many great companies, so many great people and opportunities.”
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