Any company can agree when we say that their employees are the backbone of their business success.
Without a group of talented and passionate workers who dedicate themselves to the company’s vision and mission, businesses would have a hard time serving their clients.
However, sometimes there are skill gaps that exist because of a lack of training.
Skill gaps can be harmful to a business’s productivity, increase labour costs, and overall make employees feel like they are falling behind.
Investing resources to ensure your employees have the tools and opportunities to upskill and improve themselves is important – especially in an evolving industry.
Why Is Upskilling Needed?
Technological change is enormous and fast-paced, creating a big skill gap in the historically tight labour market.
According to the Toronto Star, 80% of Canadian manufacturers surveyed in a new report state that they face an immediate labour and skills shortage.
Companies are becoming more reliant on technology. With a rise in digital transformation, companies are starting to focus on a combination of technology and labour to optimize productivity.
In addition, as the manufacturing industry evolves, smart factories and Industry 4.0 technologies will drastically change what manufacturing looks like in the coming years.
That’s why training and upskilling employees in the manufacturing industry is even more crucial to ensure employee and company success.
What Does Upskilling in the Manufacturing Industry Look Like?
In addition to government-supported job-training programs, manufacturers committed to spending $26.2 billion last year on internal and external training initiatives for new and existing employees to combat the shortage of workers.
Here are some considerations that could result in a successful upskilling strategy:
- Utilize online communication – Collaboration platforms allow companies to encourage and promote upskilling among employees.
- Be patient – Upskilling takes time. Employees need to leave behind familiar processes to learn new skills and tools.
- Identify learning areas – Understanding where and how technology might change manufacturing processes, and where the skill gaps are, will allow for more effective upskilling programs.
How Can Manufacturers Prepare for Upskilling?
By anticipating change and listening to their employees.
Change is inevitable. Companies that can better predict changes will have upskilling programs in place to ensure that the workforce is always ready to tackle change.
Involving employee feedback throughout the upskilling process will ensure that programs target the critical areas that need development.
At SHEA Global, we want to help manufacturing businesses close the skill gap and develop a strategy that enables employees to leverage technology and be at their best on the factory floor. Reach out to learn how.
