Intelligent Software is the Solution for the Employment Gap in Manufacturing

The move towards technology and artificial intelligence is taking over every facet of our lives from social media algorithms to intelligent machines on the shop floor. This move towards technology has steered a whole generation away from trades and skilled labour. Could it be that intelligent software is the solution for the employment gap in manufacturing? The very thing that caused a major decline in new machinists and operators may just be the thing that saves it.

A Shift from Blue Collar Work

Since the 1970’s there has been a steady shift away from skilled labour. Hourly wages have been replaced with salaries and blue collars traded for white. Currently, around 80% of people in the precision manufacturing industry are in their 40’s and 50’s. The lure of executive offices and less physical work has been directing students into university degrees that are now showing to often be futile in finding employment.
As the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) continues to expand in the manufacturing arena there has also been a concern with disappearing jobs. This has also steered people away from this field. The opposite is true. Some statistics show that for every new computer application, five new jobs are created. Think of programming, service, operation. No computer is a stand-alone system. People will always be needed. The monotonous and sometimes dangerous work has been replaced by more creative and active roles.
There has been a stigma attached to skilled labour, but the dirty work environment and lack of education associated with blue-collar work from generations past is no longer the case. One of the main areas of growth is in computer technology. A steady decline in skilled trades paired with technology is creating some new opportunities for students to look at manufacturing with a new attitude.
Many apprentice programs pay equal wages to 4-year university graduates without student debt. There is also a pay scale that matches skills growth which makes precision manufacturing more appealing with the opportunity to advance. An entry-level operator can become a set-up operator, a maintenance tech, a programmer, or a supervisor all by building talent and ability. And the future is going to get brighter.

Bringing Talent Back

There are two approaches to hiring in precision manufacturing: experience or new talent. And there are inherent risks to both. Hiring an experienced operator or machinist may bring a mindset that doesn’t match your business. Skills may also not translate easily from one CNC machine and programming method to another. Retraining may still be needed, but mindset often cannot be shifted. Hiring new talent allows you to groom the employee into your company culture, but training is a long journey with a risk of their exit after your investment. In both scenarios offering good pay, benefits, and a positive atmosphere will keep employees with you for the long haul.
New approaches to target the raw talent pool come from industry, government, private and community colleges, and trade schools working together to offer grants, bursaries and scholarships, apprenticeships, and other incentives to pursue a career in manufacturing. Often these programs guarantee close to 100% employment on graduation. Many, through apprenticeships and other opportunities, see students in a workplace during their education.

These varied approaches to hiring new talent are starting as early as possible in the schooling process to open the minds of students to the possibilities in manufacturing. Organizations like National Tooling & Machining Association in the U.S. are attracting companies in their efforts to advocate for the precision manufacturing field. They lobby state governments to provide funding for apprentice programs.
Grassroots groups are working in collective communities to offer free support on Facebook and in-person to improve machining skills. Free online learning is available to teach machining skills through video, lesson plans, and tutorials. This is one such way retiring machinists can stay invested in the future. Companies do need to think of creative ways to keep them involved with consulting, short-term assignments, or other means to harness their talent as long as possible.

CNC Machining Benefits

There is a steep and risky learning curve for new hires, especially when their only qualification is a desire to learn. The base description of CNC machining – to follow computer codes to process a piece of material without manual operator direct control – is to reduce human error. Costly mistakes can occur if a program is loaded incorrectly. One of the biggest costs in any production run is the raw material. The value of viewing a 3D model, seeing the toolpath, and having tools and material tolerances assigned, eliminates much of the errors on any shop floor. This is especially important with new staff. A potential crash is averted before the stock is even loaded.
Software providers like Mastercam with functions like Verify and Backplot highlight toolpath errors providing an endless opportunity to learn instead of making costly mistakes. One of the costs you can’t recoup in machining is wasted stock. But even more costly problems like a tool or machine damage are also avoided.
The more computerized control, measurement, and artificial intelligence built into the shop floor the easier it is to train new talent into the industry. Paired with an overlap of seasoned machinists there are diverse and rewarding careers available. The more Industry 4.0 progresses, the more jobs are needed.

A New Horizon

The idea that manufacturing jobs are leaving North America is not based on cheaper overseas production; it is a sheer lack of bodies to fill positions. Jobs are certainly changing, but advances in IIoT call for different approaches. Intelligent software is the solution for the employment gap in manufacturing. Gone are the days of a skilled machinist working tirelessly to manually adjust speed and cutting depth to only achieve the accuracy of the human eye. Tolerances in micrometres, perfect replications of the original component, and production run not interrupted for food or rest breaks free up the talent of employees for other tasks. The new era of machinists will undoubtedly be assigned different titles, but they will be there keeping our factories running. The time to invest in that future is now.