MORE JOBS & SKILLS TRAINING

Lately, we’ve been reading a lot about the changes coming to U.S. manufacturing. 

We’ve seen articles written about the return of manufacturing jobs to America as well as the disconnect between those jobs and insufficiently trained applicants.

An article in Plant Engineering summarizes these issues:

More manufacturing jobs are returning to U.S. shores while new innovation “hubs” are being created across the nation.  The manufacturing sector is undergoing an evolution where innovation and manufacturing are merging, driving product and process innovation, across the globe and particularly in the U.S. “This is making industry more competitive and taking productivity and efficiency to levels never experienced before,” said Helmuth Ludwig, CEO of Siemens Industry Sector, North America.

 “This industrial evolution is highly based on software, and companies that have embraced this concept are experiencing a shorter time-to-market through efficient innovation cycles and enhanced flexibility using more data to individualize mass production.  .  .  .

 .  .  .  The notion of a skills gap in the manufacturing sector has to be transferred to a “training gap,” explained Siemens Corp. president and CEO Eric Spiegel. “Only by moving the responsibility from the trained to the trainer, and from the individual to the companies and educational institutions, are we addressing this challenge in the right manner.”  .  .  . “  (“Manufacturing in America targets next U.S. industrial evolution,” Plant Engineering)

I would add an additional comment.

Our recognition of “better skills training” had better take into account today’s learning culture.

It’s not classroom based.

It’s not reading based.

It’s not lecture based.

Rather, the learners of today tie much of their learning to their smartphones, tablets and computers.

Translated, that means an emphasis on video, graphic animations and an optional word-for-word audio accompaniment.  All designed to transition learners to the hands-on training they will need.

More on Monday  –  –  –

           — Bill Walton, co-Founder, ITC Learning

          April 12, 2017

      www.itclearning.com/blog/  (Mondays & Wednesdays)

“THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”