There’s no jumping the manufacturing skills gap. Industrial manufacturing’s immediate future strength depends on today’s digitally transformative actions. According to a Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute study, the U.S. could face 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs by 2030. The resulting cost could potentially total $1 trillion in the U.S. alone.
As industrial manufacturing technology evolves, so does an exacerbating skills gap, challenging organizations’ abilities to find qualified talent at all skill levels. The lack of skilled workers means increased downtime because of delayed troubleshooting and maintenance, operational bottlenecks given untrained or undertrained workers, higher costs associated with managing less qualified personnel, and customer dissatisfaction.
Digital solutions in industrial manufacturing provide the opportunity for seamless, real-time knowledge transfer and training, automated processes, centralized data, and enhanced collaboration that allow for remote work and troubleshooting.
Traditional approaches to training in industrial manufacturing involve outdated, static documents and manuals disconnected from real-world scenarios. Limitations include time-intensive, one-size-fits-all training programs rather than personalized and flexible programs that fit workers’ production schedules. Training programs may also overlook the skills gap and aging workforce, leaving newer workers with inconsistent standards and insufficient technical skills. Today’s increasingly global teams face time zone conflicts and language barriers, on top of varying skill levels.
Organizations can address these challenges by adopting digital training models:
Real-Time Collaboration
Cloud-based platforms allow for real-time collaboration and seamless updates across teams — remote or worldwide.
Engaging Modules
Interactive platforms enhance learning through gamification and real-life scenarios.
Scalable Solutions
Content is customized and standardized with relevant updates for consistent training at all levels.
Industrial manufacturing organizations should consider a digital training framework with a centralized platform, mobile accessibility, real-time updates, and tailored learning that reflects the latest information, processes, and standards. Team adoption is essential for the long-term success of an effective training program. Leadership buy-in, employee engagement, ongoing support, and potential incentives are crucial.
Measurements of success include training completion rates and proficiency metrics, such as timeliness, knowledge retention, and performance improvements. Managers should also regularly collect personnel feedback on training content and user experiences and analyze return on investment based on pre-and post-implementation data.
Digital training fuels continuous learning, which is necessary for future-proofing industrial manufacturing operations. Continuous learning approaches involve on-demand training so personnel can access learning at their own pace. This type of training can also leverage advanced technologies and AI-powered learning to analyze performance and recommend personalized learning.
To stay efficient, industrial manufacturing companies must consider scalability through standardized processes, localization, cloud-based solutions, and modular training that can easily be updated or expanded to accommodate growing needs. Companies should focus on seamlessly integrating advanced technology in various systems, ensuring a flow between platforms.
The industrial manufacturing industry faces challenges that digital advancements meet head-on, enabling real-time collaboration, engaging modules, and scalable solutions. Digital training frameworks mean tomorrow’s workforce is all on board.
The Gomocha Field Service Platform provides the digital bridge organizations can harness to alleviate the manufacturing skills gap in industrial manufacturing. Book your free online trial to learn more about this innovative platform.