Despite popular dystopic depictions of technology minimizing or even eliminating human value, the truth is that technological innovation greatly influences the way we work. We’ve seen this throughout history, from the printing press and the cotton gin to cloud computing and virtual and augmented reality.
The reality of technological advances reflects an ebb and flow of interdependent elements in our society at large. Smart technology, like that seen in modern manufacturing facilities, doesn’t detract from human value—it augments it.
In the short term, smart technology helps manufacturing professionals work more efficiently and leverage data-backed intelligence. In the long term, workers with an innate understanding of these smart technologies will be in high demand. That’s why upskilling and reskilling will be the bridge that connects today’s reality with tomorrow’s potential.
Smart technology improves teams’ efficiency, reduces errors associated with manual practices and injects real-time contextual insights into every phase of production. For example, manufacturing execution systems (MES) offer real-time data capture and analysis, displayed within a digital, user-friendly interface. No longer reliant on mere guesswork, shop floor workers are empowered by MES with knowledge of exactly how each machine and process is operating, and whether anything needs their attention.
Smart technology necessitates advanced skill sets
As smart technology use becomes more ubiquitous in industry, a premium will be placed on any professional who knows how to operate, maintain or repair it. And as we expand our use of these technologies, it will become a partner to us, rather than a tool. This development is still, in all likelihood, quite a few years out, but it’s important for manufacturers to realize their increasing dependence on skilled professionals with expertise in IoT, robotics and software engineering. By thinking strategically now, manufacturers can set themselves up for long-term, technological success.
To get there, they’ll need to dedicate substantial resources and attention to upskilling.
The upskilling road to success
It is true that some smart technology will absorb the workloads of some human workers—particularly those with largely administrative or repetitive job functions. But those workers are still valuable. They possess a great deal of institutional knowledge, often being the ones with the deepest understanding of the facility, the company, its processes and its customers. There is no reason why their expertise can’t be translated to new roles—especially if that role involves working with the technology that assumed their former responsibilities.
Manufacturing leaders must prioritize employee training and engagement to achieve a smooth digital transformation and assure workers they are valuable to the organization.
Upskilling likely won’t be a perfect process—there are sure to be some bumps in the road—but the more leaders can be candid and create a culture of learning, the better their teams will fare as they achieve mastery of new subjects.
What can manufacturers gain from upskilling? Highly skilled, trusted employees with clear loyalty to the facility, the integrity of its products and its ongoing success.
Ryan McMartin is product marketing manager at Parsec Automation.
