Recruiting In the Manufacturing Industry in the Technological Age

Manufacturing companies are facing a rising skill deficit as more older workers retire each year and recruitment falls short. In fact, a recent study found that over eighty percent of US-based companies are having trouble finding the employees they require.

This skills gap is made even bigger by the fact that many businesses are integrating new production technologies, which change the skill sets required to meet consumer needs. The job titles for factories tomorrow will not be at all like those from yesterday.

Throughout the whole production lifecycle, cutting-edge technology like automation and sophisticated data analysis are being used more and more. Modern manufacturing processes call for tech-savvy professionals with advanced STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) abilities.

Nevertheless, as many as two million manufacturing occupations are anticipated to go unfulfilled over the next ten years due to the United States’ lagging STEM education and the fierce rivalry for talent.

The excellent news is that these obstacles can be overcome by manufacturing enterprises. Here are some strategies for closing the industry’s talent gap in order to hire manufacturing workers now and in the future:

• Keep in mind the skills base of retiring employees
• Clear up misunderstandings and train the upcoming workforce
• Recognize changing market conditions and expectations for your career
• Utilizing technology to promote change and recruiting

Do not lose the wisdom of retiring employees.

By 2025, the manufacturing sector in the US will lose nearly two million employees to retirement. Given this, producers’ top priority should be to safeguard and disseminate the knowledge that these seasoned personnel have accumulated multitudes of years of experience.

Mentorship initiatives and the usage of technology for onboarding new team members should be included in succession planning. Early-career employees might participate in mentorship programs to complete training courses under the supervision of corporate veterans in order to pick up insider knowledge and broaden their skill sets.

Put rotating and mentoring programs in place

Programs for mentoring can be run one-on-one, in groups, online, or for a maximum of two years. A good example are the mentorship programs (https://www.apa.org/education-career/grad/mentorinand mentees (apa.org)) offered by manufacturers. Young engineers in an engineering rotational program hone their abilities by working with fresh teams every six-month mark on projects at various stages of development.

Participants may have the opportunity to perform assignments in technological development, product specification, hardware/software support, and other areas. As a result, young employees get the chance to meet a variety of people and processes early in their careers.

Many businesses are finding it helpful to create cross-functional mentoring programs in an effort to cultivate the upcoming generation of organizational leaders. Future business leaders can participate in rotations in a variety of crucial functional areas, such as sales, business activities, the management of products, or application engineering, through these programs.

Encourage senior staff to participate

Manufacturers may need to provide incentives for veteran employees to take part in brand-new mentorship programs in order to maximize the knowledge of their personnel as a whole. You can provide both material and intangible incentives, like conditional cash.

Think about supplying business tablets, laptops, or cellphones as well to aid in the creation and implementation of programs. Additionally, to being a benefit for your staff, this will hasten the incorporation of technology into the structure of your business.

Successful mentoring programs have been demonstrated to boost new employee retention rates and shorten the time it takes for them to fully contribute to the team.

Dispel myths and get the next wave of workers ready

STEM-skilled individuals are needed in the manufacturing sector today. Unfortunately, just 21% of high school graduates in the United States are proficient in STEM. This shows that there is a serious shortage of pupils who are prepared for STEM careers. Click here to read more on STEM.

Public perceptions that manufacturing positions are “low-skill” or “low-tech” and that there is no potential for professional advancement are also pervasive. But this is plainly untrue.

Over three-quarters of the overall private sector R&D is carried out by the manufacturing sector, which also represents the single greatest investor in robotics technology. The average national salary for manufacturing occupations is approximately $81,000 per year, making it one of the highest national averages.

Spread the word

Public relations initiatives and collaborations between the public and private sectors (PPP) can help manufacturing enterprises refute these widespread myths. For instance, they can collaborate with neighborhood colleges, universities, and technical schools to provide local students with internship and training opportunities.

This could promote a better comprehension of contemporary production. Visit https://www.peoplesuite.com/practice-areas/manufacturing/ for a look at contemporary production practices. Companies can organize networking events for senior employees and educators to foster collaboration, modernize curricula, and create talent pipelines.

The following could be other types of partnerships:

• Virtual and on-site tours
• Guest lectures
• Research funding
• Competitions for student prototypes

Experiences in immersion and internships

Manufacturers must develop viable avenues for young people who will make up their future generation of workers as well as persons from non-STEM backgrounds to enter the manufacturing industry in order to hire a diverse workforce.

Recognize changing market conditions and expectations for your career

By 2020, Millennials, who currently make up a major portion of the American labor force, will account for over fifty per cent of all workers. Therefore, it is crucial for organizations to understand the interests, attitudes, and issues of this generation.

Remember that Millennials are used to quick communication and immediate access to information across a variety of platforms and devices. Many Millennials also had extremely controlled environments at home and in school.

Additionally, a sizable number of this generation entered the age during or just after the recession, which, when combined with digital disruption, changed how businesses and employees interacted.

The expectations of Millennials at work are influenced by their upbringing:

• Millennials anticipate instruction and communication enabled by technology
• Millennials want clear instructions and goals and will not accept uncertainty.
• Younger generations favor swift procedures and rapid feedback.
• Millennials desire freedom to express their creativity and thrive when working in small groups.

With these new styles and technologies, recruiting in manufacturing must change with the times in order to stay competitive in the marketplace.