MAY - JUNE, 201819MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSIGHTSCXO INSIGHTSHow the Skills Gap can be a Key Driver for Intelligent ManufacturingAnyone who works in manufacturing is acutely aware that finding employees with the right technical skills and production engineering knowledge is a continual and growing challenge. The lack of availability of technically competent individuals is often cited as one of the most significant threats to the successful growth of global manufacturing. Many reasons exist for the emergence of the impending skills gap. For one, the age profile of the "baby boom" generation means that companies are faced with the prospect of having unprecedented numbers of their highly experienced, long-serving individuals approach or enter retirement over a relatively short period of time. And, those individuals will be taking their valuable machining knowledge and experience out the door with them. The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that there are not enough young people choosing to enter the metal cutting industry to balance the exodus of older talent and expertise. Another possibility is that education systems have reduced the focus on engineering or manufacturing as a career path. There still exists a perception of "manual" engineering that is associated with manufacturing--and that negative connotation may come from parents, grandparents and even schools. While this perception is a long way from the truth, many young people today would prefer to see their future in communications, design or software rather than engineering and manufacturing. The irony, of course, is that modern production is heavily based on communications, design and software. New Skillsets for Industry 4.0So how do companies remain competitive and grow their businesses in an era when they have less access to competent resources? One way is for organizations to truly embrace the concept of Industry 4.0 and the intelligent factory. While many of the benefits that the "fourth industrial revolution" promises are predicated on hardware, software, systems and solutions, they are fundamentally By Sean Holt, President, Sandvik Coromant, Sales Area Americas Image 1: Sandvik Coromant offers connected solutions to help manufacturers optimize their machining and decision-making processes.Image 2: The suite of connectivity solutions from Sandvik Coromant helps manufacturers prepare for Industry 4.0.
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