Advanced Manufacturing is the future of U.S. competitiveness and reshoring. Enhancing capabilities through the adoption of innovative technologies will increase efficiency and narrow the manufacturing cost gap with foreign competitors, thus boosting global competitiveness and enabling reshoring. Let’s look at a few vital areas in which advanced manufacturing is providing significant gains:
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, is transforming work at an unparalleled pace due to rapidly changing technologies like AI, advanced robotics and cognitive automation, advanced analytics and the Internet of Things. These innovations require a highly trained workforce to bring to fruition. As manufacturers implement advanced manufacturing technologies, they will gain new levels of efficiency, quality control and visibility. To realize the full potential of these investments, they will need skilled workers.
New-collar workers must develop technical and soft skills through nontraditional educational paths including community colleges, vocational schools, software boot camps, technical certification programs, high-school technical education and on-the-job apprenticeships and internships as opposed to a four-year university degree. Manufacturers must incorporate lifelong learning into their business plans to develop the future workforce needed for advanced manufacturing. Here are some successful learning programs:
Ultimately, we have unlimited control over our domestic competitiveness initiatives and our ability to achieve our ambitions. Let’s collaborate to support advanced manufacturing technologies and skilled workforce development and rebuild the U.S. manufacturing base.
Connect With Us