There are many common myths when it comes to the manufacturing industry. Some might play a role manufacturers are struggling to find new talent and break any barriers to digital transformation.
According to Deloitte, U.S. manufacturing is expected to have 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030.
In order to fill these roles, we must put aside these common misconceptions around manufacturing education, jobs and automation and gain control over the future of our manufacturing processes.
MYTH: There is a shared lack of interest in receiving a manufacturing education.
As manufacturers continue to bring facilities to the United States and diversify operations across the globe due to supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic, we will find more career and growth opportunities for those looking to find jobs in manufacturing. Not to mention, touchpoints into the industry will increase as a result.
Many companies and higher education institutions are working on programs to reskill, train and educate current and future employees to meet the demands of manufacturing jobs today. The knowledge needed to succeed in manufacturing looks very different from what it once was, but the opportunities to learn these skills are available. As the next generation of workers look to immerse themselves in the future of work, manufacturing is actually a great industry to support their dreams from both an education and career perspective.
Manufacturers are adopting digital solutions like the Internet of Things, machine learning, artificial intelligence and more. These technologies that are being integrated into smart factory operations provide an extremely exciting opportunity for young professionals to learn new skills that can be easily applied to their career paths for many years to come.
MYTH: Automation is replacing human work; therefore, there aren’t any jobs to be filled
This myth is an easy one to deny. The real challenge taking away jobs is not automation, but rather when companies fall behind in quality and efficiency due to outdated processes.
When these factors are not performing at the right levels, companies run the risk of losing money and sales. When companies begin losing money due to a lower level of performance, that is when we’ll begin seeing human jobs get cut or lost.
Automated solutions or enhanced digital practices can help manufacturers produce higher-quality products in a more efficient and predictable manner—allowing them to generate higher profits, and furthermore, create more jobs.
Automation will certainly shift existing manual tasks into those performed by machines, but in doing so technology brings incredible opportunity for manufacturing workers to transition from performing these tasks into more troubleshooting, technology-forward roles.
MYTH: Automation has to happen all at once across a business’s entire operation
Many CIOs might be hesitant to digitally transform their business operations because the task is daunting, but in reality, automation and further digital transformation are gradual processes that need to happen in a step-by-step manner.
To gain momentum and establish credibility within your organization around new solutions being deployed, start with the easy wins.
Doing everything at the same time is extremely challenging, whereas embracing digital transformation as a gradual process allows your organization to grow and change with the technology.
It is also important to remember that automation is not only attainable for large manufacturers. That might have been the case decades ago, but now the technology is easier to use while costs have significantly come down. Savings seen in the beginning—with solutions around material handling, machine tending or predictive maintenance—can often fund projects and more complex updates further down the line.
The future of manufacturing is exciting. With the proper education and training matched with progressive technology adoption, manufacturers of all sizes will be able to reap the benefits of the next generation of workers and the quality of outcomes that will follow them.
Gustavo Sepulveda is process automation business head, Panasonic Connect North America.
