According to a McKinsey study, 87 % of companies are facing a skills shortage or expect to face one in the coming years. This phenomenon is by no means theoretical. In the manufacturing sector, it results in slowed production lines due to a lack of skilled operators, compliance audits under pressure, and training programs that can no longer keep pace with technological advancements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Closing skills gaps within a company involves more than just sending employees to training. It is a structured process that begins with a detailed assessment and continues with long-term follow-up. This guide offers an actionable methodology tailored to the realities of the industrial sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
A skills gap refers to the difference between the skills your employees possess and those your organization needs to achieve its goals. This difference can apply to an individual, a team, or the company as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gap is not limited to technical skills. It can encompass three distinct dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visit hard skills<\/strong> include measurable technical skills: proficiency in operating a machine, knowledge of a process, and the ability to perform quality control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit\u00a0soft skills<\/strong>\u00a0These include behavioral skills: communication, stress management, and the ability to work as part of a team. Although often underestimated, these skills are crucial to team performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to these two categories, there are the\u00a0regulatory authority<\/strong>\u00a0:\u00a0authorizations<\/a>, certifications, and authorizations required to perform certain duties. When a certification expires without being renewed, the resulting skills gap becomes a risk of noncompliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The renewal of these certifications almost always involves an external training organization. Managing these certification programs\u2014from sending out invitations to tracking the budget\u2014is a profession in its own right, which a training management software<\/a> as Training Square supports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several factors are accelerating the widening of gaps in industrial settings. The first is demographic: retirements take with them expertise that has not always been documented or passed on. When a senior operator leaves the company after 25 years, an entire body of hands-on knowledge disappears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second factor is technological. Automation, robotization, and the integration of artificial intelligence are transforming jobs. The skills expected of an operator in 2026 are no longer the same as those required in 2018. The pace of this transformation often outstrips companies\u2019 ability to adapt their training plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, employee turnover and the growing reliance on temporary workers complicate matters. Every new hire needs time to develop their skills, and when turnover is high, the company is constantly playing catch-up with its own training needs. The GPEC (now known as GEPP)<\/a> It attempts to anticipate these trends, but it often remains a purely declarative exercise, disconnected from reality on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before closing a gap, you first need to measure it. Too many companies act based on their managers\u2019 intuition without conducting a structured assessment. The identification process consists of four steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all starts with a competency framework. For each position, list the expected competencies along with a target level. This framework shouldn\u2019t be an 80-page document gathering dust on a server. It needs to be practical, updated regularly, and understood by front-line managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good competency framework distinguishes between essential competencies (without which the employee cannot perform the job) and desirable competencies (which enhance performance or versatility). This distinction prevents priorities from getting lost in an overly long list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The evaluation can draw on several sources: individual interviews, field observations, peer-to-peer self-assessments validated by managers, and results from past training sessions. The most reliable approach combines several methods rather than relying on just one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pitfall to avoid: conducting evaluations once a year during the annual review process, then leaving them untouched for twelve months. Skills are constantly evolving, and so are needs. Quarterly follow-ups\u2014even brief ones\u2014provide a much more accurate picture of reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The\u00a0skills matrix<\/a>\u00a0is the go-to tool for visualizing gaps. It cross-references employees in rows and skills in columns, using a color code or a score to indicate each employee\u2019s level of proficiency relative to the expected level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an Excel spreadsheet, this matrix works for a small team. But as soon as you\u2019re managing dozens of operators, multiple sites, or authorizations with expiration dates, the limitations quickly become apparent: outdated data, data entry errors, and the inability to cross-reference information across sites. This is often when manufacturers switch to a\u00a0dedicated tool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Centralize your skills matrix on a single platform, updated in real time by frontline managers. Check out Mercateam on a website similar to yours.<\/p>\n Book a demo\n <\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Why the Gaps Are Widening in the Industry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How can you identify skills gaps in your organization?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Define the target competencies for each position<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Assess the teams' current skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Visualize Gaps Using a Competency Matrix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Show off your Excel skills without losing control over your data<\/span><\/h2>\n