It’s been just about a year since COVID-19 arrived, disrupting the world as we knew it. The manufacturing industry, along with all others, scrambled to adapt and persevere. While the challenges are not over, I deeply admire the fortitude and creativity of the industry. At the same time, I’m not surprised; an adaptable, innovative spirit has been the hallmark of manufacturing from the beginning. Read More.
The bad news is the manufacturing skills gap is looming, threatening manufacturing’s future. The good news is we have the potential human resources — millennials and Gen Z — to solve it. But in order to attract these younger generations to manufacturing careers — and to train and retain them — we first need to understand them. Read More.
I recently had the privilege of presenting at The Best of SMX on the topic of “Accelerating Workforce Performance Through Learning and Development Best Practices.” It was exciting to be part of a virtual event where industry thought leaders shared insights into the opportunities and challenges manufacturers face as they transform their operations with advanced digital technologies. Read More.
As an organization dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing, SME understands the importance of having corporate recruitment, retention and development strategies as a key pillar of strategic planning for a business. While it has always been important, the ongoing workforce crisis in manufacturing motivated us to document, celebrate and share best practices in workforce development. Read More.
I recently highlighted companies presenting at SME’s The Best of SMX virtual event that addressed the importance of workforce. Stanley Black & Decker is another inspiring example. In his closing keynote presentation, “Making Smart Manufacturing Relevant with Enterprise Sized Value,” Sudhi Bangalore, Chief Technology Officer for Global Operations, Stanley Black & Decker, explained how people are at the center of its “massive” Industry 4.0 journey. Read More.
At SME, we’ve had long relationships with universities and colleges across the country. We know how important academic institutions are to helping the manufacturing industry innovate and grow. We are fortunate to have regular access to our brilliant members – many from universities – who act as sounding boards and subject matter experts, author technical papers and journals, and often serve as elected Board of Directors and Member Council representatives for SME. Read More.
Recently SME produced its first virtual event focused on smart manufacturing, The Best of SMX. After participating, I am more inspired about the future of manufacturing and its workforce. The well-attended event on October 29 brought together large and small manufacturers from all industries to discuss crucial strategic and workforce issues, as well as disruptive technologies destined to change the face of manufacturing globally over the next decade. Read More.
Back in April, I wrote about the transformations taking place in the educational system due to COVID-19. The move to remote learning was urgent and fast. Caught off guard, educators had to quickly pivot to virtual teaching with little direction and few resources. Read More.
We love hearing inspiring stories from our customers. Today, we are sharing the important work of our colleagues at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, who filled an urgent need for personal protective equipment (PPE) in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More.
Immediate workforce development is crucial to manufacturing’s future. In response, high-impact learning organizations (HILOs) are taking steps now to prepare more workers for the next generation of jobs. These manufacturers know that investing in people is as critical as investing in equipment or technology and that it has a direct connection to their success. Read More.
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