Could Technology Consolidation Bridge the Manufacturing Skills Gap?
Everyone knows about the manufacturing skills gap, right? In a nutshell, there are hundreds of thousands of open manufacturing positions that companies are having a hard time filling. And they’ve been having a hard time filling positions for years now. Why is that?
Experts began using the term “skills gap” years ago to reflect the fact that manufacturers utilizing new advanced automation technologies needed not only more workers, but workers who possessed more advanced skills than ever before. Simply put, the demand for highly skilled workers far exceeds the current supply. In fact, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute estimate that 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by the year 2033 if things don’t change.
In a recent SupplyChainBrain article, author Josh Cranfill discusses the curious role that technology plays in the ongoing manufacturing skills gap problem. Cranfill notes that “[a]utomation…is a double-edge sword, capable of accelerating production and reducing the need for humans on the shop floor, yet also creating new opportunities, especially since many manufacturers have a long way to go on their digital transformation.”
Cranfill highlights some of the struggles that manufacturers face as they implement more and more technology: “the rise of digital transformation in manufacturing has resulted in a glut of digital tools being used alongside paper-based processes. For teams and individuals, digital tools are a great way to streamline and automate what were once time-consuming and redundant tasks. Yet they also create information silos that mask big-picture views of what’s happening throughout the company.”
Why is this an issue? Cranfill elaborates: “When you have information silos and still rely on paper processes, it takes longer than expected for employees to create weekly or quarterly reports. It’s also impossible to quickly generate a snapshot of what’s happening on the shop floor, or gain a greater understanding of how a snag in the supply chain will cause a ripple effect on customers, staff and distributors. A recent productivity survey found that employees are spending 11 or more hours each week reconciling data to get that big-picture view. Imagine the frustration of employees having to regularly track down information and rekey data to create reports.”
What can manufacturers do to improve productivity while also reducing employee frustration? Cranfill believes technology consolidation, especially amongst software solutions, may be the answer. The author is quick to note that “[t]his doesn’t mean they’re ditching their investments in software with the goal of having less on their plate. Instead, they’re taking a hard look at what employees need to run the business, and which tools are duplicative.”
Can this really help bridge the skills gap? Cranfill is hopeful, because he believes that “the strategic use of technology to streamline information sources and digital tools enables manufacturers to close labor gaps by evaluating which systems and processes undermine productivity. When critical information is centralized and easily accessed through a work-management platform, employees are no longer spending valuable time recreating reports. That’s a plus for both productivity and employee retention.”
Such an approach can also facilitate better training. Cranfill points out that “[h]aving consistent sources of digital information on newer platforms makes training easier, especially since 71% of manufacturers report hiring less skilled workers while increasing on-the-job training. This also appeals to generations who want to work with the latest technologies, and acquire skills that make them attractive to a variety of employers, as opposed to mastering legacy technology.”
As companies embrace new technologies, they will often need to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. If hiring new workers ends up being part of their automation implementation plan, manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the advanced automation skills needed to thrive.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News, Technology
Transforming Manufacturing Operations with IoT
How can you get students interested in jobs in manufacturing? That’s the perennial question that manufacturers have been struggling with for years as they continue to face a critical shortage of skilled workers to fill hundreds of thousands of open positions.
One hurdle to getting students to consider a manufacturing career is the negative impression that many people continue to have about manufacturing in general. Factories are dirty, uncomfortable places to work, right? Manufacturing careers are for people who don’t have the skills to find a better job, correct?
These are the views that manufacturers must battle, and it’s incredibly frustrating because modern manufacturing facilities don’t resemble the buildings full of low-skill assembly line jobs that existed when modern stereotypes were developed.
Instead, today’s manufacturing facilities are marvels of modern technology that need highly skilled workers who want to work with and alongside some of the most advanced technologies available. As manufacturers seek to stay competitive on the global stage, they’ve enthusiastically embraced advanced automation technologies as the means to maximize efficiency and productivity.
In fact, to stay competitive in the modern manufacturing sector, most manufacturers have adopted at least one technology that takes advantage of connecting systems via the Internet of Things (IoT). According to an IoT For All article by Micah Statler, “[b]y leveraging advancements in…IoT…manufacturers are revolutionizing their approach to maintenance and service delivery, particularly through predictive maintenance services.”
Statler highlights three technologies that “are helping manufacturers reduce downtime, optimize resources, and maintain peak operational performance”: “real-time analytics, AI-driven predictive maintenance, and smart sensors.”
For example, smart sensors “which can be integrated into manufacturing machinery – are key to transitioning from reactive to predictive maintenance strategies.” This allows manufacturers to reduce equipment downtime that “can translate to significant production delays and revenue loss.”
Likewise, “IoT-connected devices in manufacturing facilities generate vast amounts of operational data. By leveraging cloud-based real-time analytics platforms, manufacturers can centralize this data for deeper insights…[that] allow operators to prioritize maintenance tasks and adjust workflows, resulting in minimized disruption and improved throughput.”
Building upon analysis of actual data from smart sensors, “[p]redictive maintenance – powered by artificial intelligence (AI) – takes IoT applications to the next level. Machine learning algorithms process sensor data to predict when a component is likely to fail.”
How is that helpful? “Imagine a manufacturer relying on…AI…[to] flag[] potential failure points weeks in advance. Maintenance teams or external service providers can schedule interventions during planned downtime, preventing costly production halts. This proactive approach reduces maintenance costs and extends the lifespan of equipment.”
While these advanced automation technologies offer benefits only imagined a few years ago, they’re not without hurdles to widespread adoption by manufacturers. For starters, many manufacturers already can’t find enough workers to fill open positions. Where are they going to find the highly skilled workers to take advantage of these new technologies?
The solution, of course, is to either upskill current workers or hire new workers with the advanced automation technology skills they require. How can manufacturers be certain prospective workers have the skills they need?
Manufacturers should look for candidates with industry-standard credentials that prove they already possess the skills they need to thrive. For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies. SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
