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In today’s quickly evolving manufacturing landscape, companies stand at a critical juncture. Technological advancements continue to redefine the industry in a positive direction, but a challenge looms large: an ever-growing skills gap. Creating a training program and executing it can be a mountain to climb but through this article you will find a path to get the wheels rolling, see success in the launch of a training program, and how to make it sustainable.

As quality, engineering and production roles evolve and new ones emerge, the need for skilled workers has never been more apparent. To bridge this gap and propel the industry forward, a focused effort towards training programs is imperative. Let us first understand what this “skills gap” is that everyone is talking about. The skills gap in manufacturing refers to the void between the skills that employers demand out of current and future hires and those possessed by the current available workforce.

With the emergence of automation, robotics and digitization, the nature of manufacturing jobs has undergone an amazing transformation. Today’s manufacturing shop floors, quality labs and engineering departments demand not only technical proficiency but also digital literacy, problem solving abilities and traits to adapt to innovative technologies. All challenges that are faced by the industry.

In this article, let us explore what is causing the skills gap, what training programs we should be looking for or implementing, where can we find assistance, how to start, how to keep it long lasting, and how do we protect the non-digital skills in a growing digital world.

Several factors contribute to the widening skills gap:

• Rapid advancements in automation and digital technologies have contributed to manufacturing skills being obsolete, creating a mismatch between the skills in demand and those that possess those skills.
• The aging workforce worsens the gap, as these experienced workers move towards and go into retirement, the backfill of replacements simply is not there.
• There are misconceptions about modern manufacturing careers that often push individuals away from pursuing training and education, which leads to the shortage of skilled workers entering our shops and labs.

What steps do we need to take to bridge the gap? What training do we need to offer? Who needs to be involved? How much is it going to cost? So many questions and not knowing where to start is a common feeling for many employers. Let us take a step back and look at what a training program should focus on. These are also not a one-time training event during onboarding. This training should include levels to graduate to, and refreshers should reinforce skills learned. Continuous learning gives opportunities to upskill and reskill the workforce to keep pace with an ever-advancing industry.

• Technical Skills: Training programs should equip workers with the technical skills required to operate and maintain manufacturing technologies of all levels, from common hand tools to robotics.
• Digital Literacy: Basic computer skills training. Digital tools and wireless data collection are pushing the optimization of production workflows and data analyzation.
• Soft Skills: Nontechnical skills such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork and adaptability are crucial in the modern shop floor and lab.

How do we develop or find training such as these? Do not be afraid to collaborate. Government agencies, educational institutions, your calibration company, the company you bought your CMM from, and other manufacturers in your area are already working on, providing, or planning like you are.

• Government agencies want to see manufacturing flourish in their state, county, and townships. Reach out to your local representatives to see what programs are available.
• There are nonprofit organizations that assist in pairing your company up with a trusted training source, and commonly provide grant funding.
• Community colleges and trade schools have manufacturing and engineering wings. Inquire about partnerships trading internships or job shadowing programs.
• Capital equipment vendors and calibration companies commonly have training course offerings that align with your current quality, engineering and production needs.
• Your neighbor in your industrial park is facing the same challenges you are. They might already be implementing the training you are looking for. Organize a breakfast, coffee gathering, etc., and invite other companies to collaborate.

Interview your training sources, you should consider them as an extension of your team. One training source might be only online and not as beneficial as in-person courses. One might be very high-level training not suited for inexperienced individuals. Does the training source offer levels of training?  For example, GD&T Fundamentals, Advanced GD&T Applications, GD&T Inspection. Here are two potentially beneficial lists for you to go into a conversation with a training source: a list of questions for your potential training source and a list of common courses you should be seeking for your team. This will also allow you to seek a specific budget for your training plan.

Interview questions for your potential training source:

• What industries are you currently providing training to?
• Do you offer a wide range of training courses, and do you partner with other organizations to provide courses you currently don’t?
• Do you offer multiple course discounts?
• Do you offer on-site training at our facility as well as your facility?
• In-person training or online? If online, is it a live trainer or prerecorded content?
• Post training support? Emails? Phone Calls? Any cost involved?
• Do you create the training content or is it outsourced?
• Is there skills assessment at the end of the course?
• Do you provide training certificates?
• If we provided a full year training budget, are there larger discounts for the loyalty?
• I have a new employee that is brand new to manufacturing, what would be a training plan for them and timeline?

List of courses to cover wide range of skills needed & levels of trainees.

• Basic Hand Gage Usage & Verification
• Basic Blueprint Reading Skills
• Advanced Blueprint Reading Skills
• Metrology Software Training (i.e. CMM, Vision, Testing Equipment Software)
• GD&T Training – Basic, Advanced, Custom to your needs
• Calibration Training
• Gage Management Skills
• SPC Training
• PPAP / FAIR Training

After some research and collaboration, how do we start to implement a training program? Just like introducing any of this new automation or technology, start small. Identify a small group of employees to trial training courses, train the trainer programs, software and so on. Here are a few benefits of investing in a small group to trial the training.

• It will prevent spending resources on a large group training that does not align with your needs.
• It also allows the group to provide feedback on what was and was not beneficial.
• It could inspire an individual to become your in-house trainer.
• It may create buy-in from the rest of the staff after hearing of the skills learned.
• It shows your staff that you are taking steps to invest in them.

Now you have found your training program, you are ready to implement it for all current staff and new hires. You have a mix of outsourced training, internal personnel, literature and partnering organizations. The next steps are to organize it, schedule the sessions, plan follow up evaluations, and keep production and inspections moving. Here are some recommended steps to start.

1. Organize department personnel into groups that can split to keep production and inspections going.
2. Develop the timeline of courses and order of courses. Timeline for planning, communication to the teams, execution, follow ups
3. Communication to managers and teams
   1. Gives opportunity to plan for staff being off the floor.
   2. Gives trainees excitement and buy-in to the training plan.
   3. Prevents the need for rescheduling the training.
4. Provide surveys post training session and review to provide feedback for next training sessions.
5. Have a specific application to each group’s role to use the skills learned.

Call a meeting for those who need to be involved. Walk to your whiteboard and write down these three categories: Where are we? – What is our end goal? – What planning is needed? Pair it with steps you’ve learned here mixed with previous experiences and design a timeline. Do not think you need to do this on your own, reach out to organizations and fellow companies. Sustainable training to close this skills gap will take planning, time, budget and long term determination.