Workforce Insights at SAMA Conference and AME Summit

Posted By: Jeannine Kunz, Vice President, Tooling U-SME on April 11, 2019

The face of manufacturing is changing. Advanced manufacturing technology is transforming outdated plant floors to high-tech centers of innovation. At the same time, baby boomers are exiting the workforce and passing the baton to Gen Xers, millennials and the newest addition to the labor force, Gen Z.

As the industry increases the application of advanced technologies like 3D printing, robotics and the internet of things, manufacturers are under the gun to operate efficiently and keep up productivity, while trying to attract and retain qualified talent. This means the industry needs a well-rounded workforce, filled with individuals that possess relevant skills, can problem-solve and think analytically, and have the aptitude to work with sophisticated systems.

But what’s a manufacturer to do when unfilled manufacturing jobs in the U.S. are expected to reach a shortage of close to 2.4 million by 2028?¹

Combatting this shortage is no small feat; however, in states like Texas, business leaders, educators, workforce agencies, associations and other manufacturing stakeholders are rethinking their approach to retooling the current and future workforce.

Two Texas-based organizations are collaborating on events that will address this challenge and help identify actions companies can take to upskill their workforce. On May 8, the San Antonio Manufacturers Association will host the 2019 South Central Texas Manufacturing Trade Show & Conference that will include a keynote session where I will speak on building structured and sustainable learning and development programs. The following day, I will lead a presentation at the Association for Manufacturing Excellence’s 2019 Summit to shed light on preparing and sustaining career-ready citizens.

Both events will provide attendees with examples of how groups of employers, community colleges, workforce agencies, intermediaries, youth programs, labor organizations, policy experts and others across the country are advancing apprenticeship and work-based learning strategies through community-based collaborations.

If you plan to be in the San Antonio area May 8-10, I hope you attend the SAMA trade show/conference as well as the AME Summit. If you register now, you could receive a 50% discount for the AME Summit as well as a free registration for the SAMA trade show and conference.

Click here to register for the AME Summit (use discount code: Educate), and here for the SAMA trade show and conference.

^{1. 2018 Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute skills gap and future of work study: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/manufacturing/articles/future-of-manufacturing-skills-gap-study.html↩}