Tooling U-SME Blog

The Skills Gap: Manufacturing’s Greatest Challenge

Date: September 11, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

This week, more than 115,000 manufacturers will gather in Chicago for IMTS to get ideas and find answers to their manufacturing challenges. They will see new technology demonstrated, talk to technical experts and find inspiration.

There’s a lot of talk about ways to cut costs, boost quality and productivity, keep up with new technology, improve plant operations and find new business. But when you dig deeper, it really comes down to building a skilled workforce. Manufacturing’s greatest challenge continues to be the skills gap. Read More.

Study: Workforce training decreases downtime

Date: September 04, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Productivity losses due to unplanned equipment shutdowns are detrimental to all manufacturers.

While downtime is most often associated with equipment breakdowns, it also encompasses any unplanned event that causes your manufacturing process to stop -- machine repair, poor operator setup, operator errors, inadequate production planning, or a shortage of qualified operators. Read More.

Product Quality Rises with Increased Workforce Training

Date: August 28, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Product quality is a critical competitive issue and a never-ending challenge for manufacturers. But just how big of a challenge is it expected to be in the next three years?

According to Tooling U-SME’s Industry Pulse 2018: Manufacturing Workforce Study, 80 percent of respondents indicated that quality improvements will be at least somewhat challenging over the several years. Read More.

Proper Training a Must for Employee Safety

Date: August 21, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

One of the biggest reasons for production slowdowns is workplace injuries. And one of the biggest reasons for workplace injuries is lack of employee training.

Picture the following scenario, which is happening with increasing regularity as aging Baby Boomers leave the manufacturing workforce. One of your best workers, who’s been with your company for years and knows your operation inside and out, retires. Replacing that worker will require screening, HR time, onboarding and training — including safety training. Read More.

Workforce Study: Formalized Training Reduces Scrap and Rework

Date: August 14, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Scrap and rework costs are a reality for manufacturers across all industries. Wasted prototypes, parts that don't fit properly, and changes in materials are just some of the many things that cause scrap and rework costs. But their impact on a manufacturing organization is the same — wasted time and money. Although it is near-impossible to eliminate scrap and rework completely, you can reduce the amount in your organization by upskilling your workforce with training that addresses issues such as quality, inspection, and lean. Read More.

New Technology Requires Advanced Workforce Training

Date: August 09, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

“Smart Manufacturing” has been a hot topic in industry over the past few years. So it’s not surprising that many manufacturers are experiencing challenges related to smart manufacturing technologies. According to the latest Tooling U-SME Industry Pulse: Manufacturing Workforce Study, 82 percent of respondents indicate that implementing smart technologies is going to be at least somewhat challenging over the next three years, while 41 percent say it will be very or extremely challenging. Read More.

Community Partnering with Customized Internships Fills Goodyear Skills Gap

Date: August 07, 2018
Posted by:Kevin Henson, Technical Training Coordinator, Great Plains Technology Center

Kevin Henson joins us today to discuss how Great Plains Technology Center, and its longtime training and economic partner Goodyear Tire and Rubber, collaborated to develop an industrial maintenance internship to fill Goodyear’s workforce pipeline. Read More.

Manufacturers Drive Productivity with a Skilled Workforce

Date: July 31, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

Productivity improvements are one of the top challenges manufacturers face over the next three years, according to the latest Tooling U-SME Industry Pulse: 2018 Manufacturing Workforce Study.

Launched in the second quarter of 2018, the study indicated that 83 percent of respondents are going to be at least somewhat challenged by productivity improvements over the next three years, while 41 percent are going to be very or extremely challenged. Read More.

What Lean Means – A Big Picture View

Date: July 23, 2018
Posted by:Jeff Fuchs, Executive Director, MWCC

Jeff Fuchs is Executive Director of the Maryland World Class Consortia, a lean learning collaborative in the mid-Atlantic. He is President of Neovista Consulting, providing lean transformation training and leadership coaching services. Read More.

The Power of Partnerships to Advance the Manufacturing Industry

Date: July 16, 2018
Posted by:Jeannine Kunz, Chief Workforce Development Officer, SME

For decades, Tooling U-SME has advocated for advancements in manufacturing, specifically as it relates to the professional development and training of the people who work in the industry. As we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tooling U-SME continues to identify opportunities to improve processes, boost productivity, strengthen product quality and ready our workforce for Industry 4.0. Partnerships with other organizations that support a strong, advanced manufacturing industry are key to accomplishing these goals. Read More.