In the year 2005, manufacturing will cease to exist as a world apart from product conception, design, delivery, and disposal. Manufacturing – the people, the systems, and the knowledge base – will be fully integrated into a seamless process of value creation. Accordingly, manufacturing workers will be virtually indistinguishable from other participants in that process. They will share with other employees a dedication to performance improvement – incremental and transformative – and to learning and change. In return, manufacturing managers, engineers, and workers will expect employers to provide them with greatly expanded opportunities to refresh and expand their skills.