How Industry 4.0 Will Address the Manufacturing Talent Shortage

Make Up The Labor Gap With Technology

US manufacturing employment levels are plummeting even though US manufacturing output has been on the upswing for some time. Manufacturing jobs have become more complicated with smart technologies such as industrial grade computers, Industry 4.0 sensors, and Big Data analysis. They require expertise in specialized technology many aren’t familiar with. However, there are ways to leverage technology to get the most out of your workforce.

Misconceptions About Industry 4.0 VS the Manufacturing Talent Shortage

It may sound contradictory to say the smart technology that’s increasing the learning curve and creating the manufacturing talent gap can also help solve it. However, some misconceptions need to be cleared that may make this claim a little easier to digest.

It’s Not a Rich Man’s Game Anymore

“Expensive” is often the first complaint when small and medium-sized manufacturers are told to consider smart technologies. However, It’s possible to dip your toe into smart manufacturing and gauge its viability for your business without breaking the bank. Small steps and incorporations can cost much less than their fully implemented counterparts. Should you find success with these kinds of trial runs, you can scale implementation up.

Not Every Piece of Tech Need Be Prohibitively Complex

Instead of creating an overly complex Industry 4.0 system, you can adopt a Lean Manufacturing approach. You don’t need to buy every piece of smart tech out there just to keep up with the competition. Incorporate only those innovations you know you can afford and your staff can handle.

The Power of Collaborative Robots

Since collaborative robots are easy to operate, it is easy for employees to integrate them into their existing workflows. This way, repetitive tasks can be automated, allowing workers to focus on more important tasks and increase their productivity. Cobots teach employees how to work with advanced technology in an approachable way. Before you know it, employees begin to fill the talent gap by performing their regular daily tasks.

Gather Data From Only a Few Devices to Start

Jumping headfirst into smart tech many weren’t ready for is what caused the manufacturing talent gap in the first place. In the interests of not widening that gap any further, consider outfitting only a couple of devices with the required sensors to gather data. This won’t cause massive shifts in how your business operates but will still provide valuable insight into critical metrics nonetheless. Not only that, in much the same way as Cobots, this minor foray into smart manufacturing can give your employees time to ease into industry 4.0 solutions and develop some tech and data fluency.

Take the time to take a small bite into smart manufacturing. Do you learn anything valuable from the data brought in from those one or two devices? If yes, you may be able to invest more into the hardware further down the line. By then, your employees will be comfortable enough to handle those more in-depth implementations.

Start Reskilling the Employees You Do Have

When new talent isn’t entering your workforce, it’s up to you to empower your current employees with training programs to help impart the skills needed to address the talent and positions you need to be filled.

Whether you decide to upskill and teach employees new skills or plan on reskilling the workforce to transition employees into new positions you need to be filled, there are intelligent ways to go about it. Consider using digital curriculums such as Udemy or Lynda in conjunction with portable industrial tablets that can give employees the ability to travel the factory floor and learn first-hand how to operate devices and perform tasks needed to improve your business operations.

Start Addressing the Manufacturing Talent Shortage With Your Workstations

When it comes to increasing your employees’ available skills and addressing the manufacturing talent shortage, starting with the hardware they use every day is always a wise choice. Empowering industrial workstations to draw in, store, and process data allows your employees to experience smarter tech, train them, and enhance their skill sets in the process. For more information on the hardware that makes this enhancement possible, contact a professional from Cybernet today.