MT Magazine May/June 2023

FEATURE STORY

THE WORKFORCE ISSUE

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(HMI); and digital twin and generative design. Gary Vasilach’s cover article in this edition of MT Magazine explores how the changeover to new braking systems for EVs is changing workforce needs at Continental in North Carolina. Together with the state government, Continental addresses these needs with an apprenticeship program. In an era of continuous life-learning, the workers who graduate from those apprenticeships will be educated on and learn new skills to address the next disruption in emerging technologies. Just one example of the impact of smart innovation in facility design and management occurred last month, when BMW announced the launch of a virtual factory. BMW will leverage Nvidia’s Omniverse platform to build and operate industrial metaverse applications across its global production network, allowing the German carmaker to plan, test, and optimize scenarios for smart, connected factories that feature new robotics and state of the art logistics systems before they

known as Kettering University in Michigan. As a result of Dad’s continuous life-learning and work ethic, the Jones family had the opportunity to lead a nice, middle-class lifestyle, and Dad would go on to eventually retire when GM offered salaried employees an incentive for early retirement when he was 62 years old. I was reminded of Dad’s story when I read in early March that GM was offering early retirement packages again this year to its salaried employees as a cost-cutting move. This need to reduce salaried employees is not just for the sake of cutting costs but also part of GM and other vehicle manufacturers’ preparation to tool up and switch their facilities over from vehicles powered by fossil fuels to electric vehicles (EVs). My dad is still with us at age 86, but the Fisher Body brand is no more, and the GM Lordstown Assembly plant is now owned by Foxconn.

How Emerging Technologies Disrupt The changeover from current vehicle powertrains to EVs is just one example of an emerging technology causing disruptions across U.S. manufacturing in go-to-market strategies, facility makeovers, and workforce recruiting and education needs. A few years ago when we

are rolled out commercially. Another example is a more personal, more simplistic one. I was recently issued a new AMT Dell laptop because my old laptop had reached the end of its life cycle. Talk about teaching an old dog new tricks. I had to learn a new, more updated, and advanced Microsoft operating system

[New technologies] are changing evermore rapidly these days as smart, digital manufacturing technologies become more widely adopted.”

among other things. Interfaces that I had been used to for years had suddenly and unexpectedly changed. Some of them for the better. Initially, of course, I lost a bit of personal and professional productivity as I learned and adjusted to the new interfaces and tools. One can find plenty of help in the applications, and I had Google for help as well. Don’t Forget the Teachers That brings me to another important Smartforce Development recommendation in the AMT Manufacturing Mandate. Currently in the United States, there is a nationwide shortage of teachers, and this shortage is especially prevalent in career and technical education (CTE). Attracting, recruiting, educating, accrediting, and retaining CTE teachers is as important as

updated AMT’s Manufacturing Mandate regarding Smartforce Development, we identified the need for continuous life learning to keep pace with emerging technologies as a key policy recommendation. During our lifetimes, technologies evolve or change completely, and they are changing evermore rapidly these days as smart, digital manufacturing technologies become more widely adopted. As a result, it is now more important than ever that humans working in manufacturing be educated on and learn new knowledge and skills in order to keep pace with technologies like additive manufacturing (AM); artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning; augmented reality/ virtual reality (AR/VR); automation, especially robotics, collaborative robots (cobots), and human-machine interfaces