Each week, we select a handful of great reads covering advanced manufacturing and the people that make it possible.
This week Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute released their fourth skills gap study. The study takes a look at the hiring environment within the industry. It measures the effects of industry4.0 on the skills gap and makes predictions about the future of manufacturing work. It contains some really eye-grabbing metrics including a potential economic impact of 2.5 trillion dollars.
This article takes a look at the “2018 Manufacturing Skills Gap Study” and details the cause of the skills gap and some potential ways to shrink the gap. For example, in 2015 it took an average of 70 days to fill a skilled manufacturing role and today it takes an average of 93 days. MIT Technology Review makes several recommendations including lowering the requirements for applicants by looking for potential instead of experience.
Read more from MIT Technology Review
Although this article was released a couple of weeks before the “2018 Manufacturing Skills Gap Study,” it still addresses the concern of a widening skills gap in American manufacturing. Boston Consulting Group urges the US to incorporate more robotics and advanced technologies as quickly as possible. In fact, it suggests that the US look to China for inspiration on how to reap the benefits of robotic technology in manufacturing. Of course, it reminds us that automation will not be helpful on it’s own. We need a workforce that is skilled and trained to work in a more digital space.
Read more from Boston Consulting Group
Not all manufacturing factories and plants are up to date on industry4.0. IndustryWeek explains why going digital is easier for IT than it is for OT. For example, a glitch on a factory floor can mean hours or days of lost productivity. More on the complexities of upgrading to a smart factory from IndustryWeek.
This week we celebrated Veteran's Day by thanking Veterans and active duty service members for their service to our country. We also read the newly released "2018 skills gap in manufacturing study." Read more about what these things have in common on our blog.
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