Developing the Workforce for Smart Manufacturing

3 Big Takeaways from this episode:

1. "Talent" is the #1 challenge keeping manufacturers from adopting smart manufacturing: SME and CESMII's 2022 Smart Manufacturing Survey sought to find out what challenges small-to-midsize manufacturers face in adopting smart manufacturing. Not surprisingly, the number one answer was a lack of talent (skilled or unskilled). We dive deep into the labor shortage crisis, how education is stepping up to build a pipeline into manufacturing, and most importantly, the opportunities for employers to deliver training for their own employees to solve this challenge.
2. Large manufacturers are taking a leadership role in sharing smart manufacturing insights to the entire ecosystem: The large manufacturers have been on the frontlines of the Industry 4.0 revolution. They've been taking the brunt of learning and retooling and now recognize the importance of sharing their knowledge along their supply chain and with the ecosystem in general. The Smart Manufacturing Executive Council is a prime example of leaders stepping up to disperse knowledge to all.
3. Manufacturing has fallen behind nearly every other sector in their employee training practices: Manufacturers have a long way to go in embracing new technology and tools for training. The industry may even need a cultural shift to get incumbent worker training to the level it needs to be. We discuss mindset changes toward training, technologies like virtual reality, and utilizing tools like certifications.

BONUS: SME and CESMII put together a framework for manufacturers to take steps toward Industry 4.0. Jeannine touches on the first three steps your organization can take, and they don't require extensive knowledge or capital to implement.