Skills in manufacturing

For many manufacturing businesses, legacy equipment forms the backbone of the factory. Technicians who’ve worked with specific types of equipment for decades are a great resource for manufacturers, but when they retire, they take their hard-earned expertise with them. Younger workers will be eager to embrace emerging technologies, but what about trusted legacy equipment?

The idea of a skills gap initially gained traction immediately following the 2007-8 financial crisis. Around the same time, another concept started to emerge in the start-up and venture capital scene — the valley of death. Could it be that the skills gap and the valley of death influence each other? If so, what can manufacturers do to break this vicious circle and spur innovation?

Everyone realises that training is a valuable resource, especially in an industry where human error can be expensive and dangerous for both the individual and the businesses reputation. The question is not whether or not manufacturers should upskill their workforce, but rather what training programme will add the most value to the company. So, how do you calculate that?