From dirt & death to jokes & riches

Ron “Child labor laws are killing this country” Swanson became independently wealthy by working at a manufacturing facility at a young age, investing heavily in gold and preferring to make his own items instead of buying what he needs.

Pop culture’s portrayal of manufacturing has evolved over the decades, although still not positively

Despite a greater focus on entrepreneurs, modern entertainment hasn’t quite caught up with a realistic concept of the American manufacturing workplace and its advancements.

Instead of the 20- and 40-year old portrayals of manufacturing as dirty and life-threatening industry, today television and movies will show characters who led successful lives because of manufacturing, although the industry is still more likely to be a punchline or word of warning.

And that may be part of the problem when it comes to a labor gap and misconceptions.

“I thought of it as standing in a line making things repetitively all day,” said Nate Bowen, 23, of Burrillville, R.I., who had a less-than-positive impression before he began work at Worcester custom glass maker Modern Manufacturing.

Dreams won’t come true

In the 1993 film “Rudy,” a biographical movie about motivational speaker Rudy Ruettiger, who played football at Notre Dame, factories are depicted as dirty and dangerous.

Manufacturing in a steel mill — complete with sweaty welders — is framed as employment to rise up from, not to keep or advance within. In the movie, the Rudy’s friend dies in a factory accident, helping to perpetuate manufacturing work as unsafe.

Throughout the entire movie — even in its tag line: “When people say dreams don’t come true, tell them about Rudy” — Rudy’s life is said to be unfulfilled unless he gets away from the dead-end life of a manufacturing worker.

Lee Duerden, of Quinsigamond Community College, said the perceptions of the manufacturing industry still align with 30-year-old pop culture portrayals.

Peter Griffin from “Family Guy” uses his manufacturing salary to live in a nice Rhode Island community, although his dumb-guy antics often perpetuate problems at his less-than-reputable employer.

Walter White actually founded two multi-million dollar manufacturing companies based on his own scientific prowess, but the second was an illegal meth-cooking business. He eventually devolved into a meglomaniac, was directly and indirectly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people and destroyed everything he and his family held dear.

Jay Pritchett (center) from “Modern Family” built a closet manufacturing business from the ground up and uses his riches to take expensive vacations, buy jewelry for his much younger wife and live in an upscale mansion in Southern California.

The couple at the start of the skit wanted clothing that was made with good labor practices, but the working conditions at their home clothing company gradually deteriorate — shop employees look bedraggled and ask for water — the workload increases, and the work space gets more and more crowded.

The irony is that the clothing is made in Portland, Ore., but sold in Macau, China. The final scene shows a couple in Macau buying an item with its “Made in Portland, Oregon” tag, because the woman heard they have good labor practices.

“The fact that there isn’t anything current is problematic,” in regard to positive modern programming, said Toby Bergstrom, director of the Haas Technical Education Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Toby Bergstrom, director of the technical education center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, tries to showcase manufacturing as a high-tech, clean profession where people can put their minds to work.

Lost in translation

According to Bergstrom and others, Central Mass. has ample resources to train the up-and-coming workforce, but interest could be stronger.

These long-standing impressions about manufacturing likely play a role, he said.

“There have been times where we have had money to run the class — and don’t have enough signups,” Bergstrom said of the advanced CNC training program WPI runs in partnership with Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP).

The best portrayals

The most recent positive portrayals of manufacturing come from characters Ron Swanson from “Parks & Recreation” and Jay Pritchett of “Modern Family.”

In “Parks & Recreation,” which debuted in 2009 and went off the air last year, Ron is an independently wealthy woodworker who uses his free time to delight in his favorite causes.

However, Ron is wealthy because he began working at age 11 – famously saying “Child labor laws are ruining this country” – and refuses to spend any money, preferring to make things. And his favorite cause is taking down the government from the inside, working as the parks director in an attempt to put an end to government spending.

Also in “Parks & Recreation,” the main company in town is candymaker Sweetums, which is often shown as an evil corporation seeking to take advantage of obesity and playing politics in town in order to push its agenda.

Claire Dunphy (right) from “Modern Family” took over her father’s manufacturing business, and her new power briefly turned her into a scotch-drinking-and-cigar-smoking elitist.

“We need more work in that regard,” said Cathy Phillips, co-owner of Phillips Precision in Boylston, a machine shop that provides precision tuning, prototype printing and other services. “There needs to be a much greater awareness. Younger people need to see [manufacturing] as a viable option.”

Nate Bowen, 23, of Worcester firm Modern Manufacturing, said his perception of the industry used to match the typical stereotypes.

Manufacturing is third best paying industry in Worcester County