👉 1st White Paper on the digitization of plant operational management 👈
February 12, 2024

How is the know-how crisis affecting the manufacturing sector?

Introduction

The manufacturing sector is facing a skills and know-how crisis that threatens its competitiveness. Investing in training and continuing education, and boosting the sector's attractiveness, are crucial issues. Several solutions need to be explored by manufacturers.

manufacturing sector

1- Identifying the challenges of declining know-how

Impact on competitiveness

The gradual loss of know-how in the industrial sector represents a threat to the competitiveness of companies. If a plant is no longer able to master the techniques specific to its production, it runs the risk of quality defects and delivery delays, leading to customer dissatisfaction and loss of market share. This underlines the urgent need to take immediate steps to preserve and pass on essential skills.

Effective knowledge transfer

To cope with this decline, effective knowledge transfer is essential. Imagine a program where experienced workers share their expertise with newcomers through structured mentoring sessions. This, coupled with the introduction of tutorials or digitized training manuals to facilitate access to information, can help safeguard the company's skills capital.

2- Invest in training to offset skills shortages

Continuing education as a growth driver

Ongoing training represents a strategic investment for industrial companies wishing to remain competitive. A company that deploys a training program on advanced technologies such as robotics or automation positions its workers at the cutting edge of technology, and enables the organization to gain in efficiency and innovation.

Innovation in learning methods

Innovation is not limited to products or industrial processes, but also to learning methods. The use of augmented reality for technical training, where workers can experiment with virtual machines before moving on to real equipment, is a great example of how technology can transform training in Industry 4.0.

3- Make the manufacturing sector more attractive to new talent

Recognition strategies

To boost the attractiveness of the manufacturing sector, industrial companies need to develop recognition strategies that make careers attractive to new talent. A reward system based on acquired skills and individual performance could encourage employees to become more involved and fulfilled in their role.

Attractive career opportunities

Companies that set out clear career paths and offer professional development opportunities generate more interest among candidates. Partnering with educational institutions and offering internships or work-study programs can be an effective strategy for nurturing a pool of qualified talent.

We look at how the manufacturing industry can respond to the skills crisis. Training, passing on skills and attracting new talent are essential to the survival and progress of the sector.

Conslusion

In conclusion, the skills and know-how crisis in manufacturing is not only a challenge to be overcome, but also an opportunity to reinvent and energize the sector. The solutions exist: investing in continuous training, promoting effective knowledge transfer, and making the sector more attractive to new talent. However, for these solutions to be fully effective, they need to be integrated into a global strategy that embraces digital transformation.

This is where Mercateam comes in, offering a cutting-edge collaborative platform that revolutionizes skills management, training and operator assignment on the factory floor. With functionalities such as the skills and authorizations matrix, automatic planning and workforce planning, Mercateam is the digital tool that enables plants to take a giant step into the future. By turning know-how management into a strategic asset, Mercateam helps industrial companies stay competitive in a constantly evolving market.

Digitizing training and skills management is no longer an option, but a necessity for industries that want to not only survive, but thrive in the Industry 4.0 era. Mercateam is positioned as the essential partner in this transformation, enabling plants to maximize their human and technical potential. By adopting Mercateam, industries can ensure that know-how and skills are not only preserved, but also enhanced and developed to meet tomorrow's challenges.

Given the urgency of the situation, it is imperative to act quickly. Investing in tools like Mercateam is not just an investment in technology, but in the future of manufacturing itself. Let's embark on this journey together, to build a more resilient, innovative and attractive manufacturing sector for future generations.