Smart manufacturing represents the integration of advanced information and manufacturing technologies aimed at creating a highly efficient, responsive, and flexible production environment. By leveraging data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, smart manufacturing enables real-time monitoring, and semi-autonomous decision-making that optimizes processes and the use of resources across the plant and enterprise.

As technology advances, manufacturing leaders are struggling to keep pace and remain competitive in a dynamic and ever-changing market, especially with skilled labor shortages and an aging workforce. Therefore, ahead of our upcoming Connected Worker Summit in Chicago, from October 7-10, we caught up with Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education at CESMII. As the United States’ non-profit institute dedicated to smart manufacturing, with a mission to drive the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies for manufacturers including small to medium-sized enterprises, CESMII plays a pivotal role in transforming the manufacturing landscape. Conrad Leiva, a key figure in this initiative, sheds light on the organization's efforts to bridge the technology gap, attract young talent, and equip the existing workforce with the necessary skills to thrive in an evolving industry.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: To start, can you give us an overview of CESMII and your role as the VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Education?

Conrad Leiva: CESMII is one of 17 Manufacturing USA institutes funded by the US government to help many manufacturers accelerate their adoption of advanced manufacturing technology. Each institute is dedicated to a different technology, and CESMII is the one dedicated to smart manufacturing technologies.

We have over 180 members dedicated to our mission of advancing smart manufacturing adoption for the average manufacturer, which is typically a small to medium-sized manufacturer. We learn from industry leaders, which are usually large companies, but help get these technologies out to the broader manufacturing base. Our members include the entire manufacturing ecosystem, including machine builders, software vendors, system integrators, and academia.

CESMII has several areas of focus, the first being the technology lane, where we work with technology vendors to make their solutions more plug-and-play and easier to adopt by small to medium manufacturers. My role as Vice President of Ecosystem and Workforce Education is focused on the education lane, because we also need people who can implement these technologies and who have the skills that manufacturers need. My responsibility is to help build programs to educate leadership and workforce, ensuring that everyone in the business is well equipped to adopt these new technologies and methodologies.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: What strategies and tools should manufacturing organizations use to reimagine how they train and onboard employees?

Conrad Leiva: In this industry and academia ecosystem, we need to embrace the idea of standardized, stackable micro-credentials as a path to employment and better-paying jobs in manufacturing.

The current method of relying on four-year degrees to gain advanced skills is too slow and too costly for many people. There are over half a million job openings in manufacturing right now, and not enough people with the skills needed to fill those jobs. So, we are working to create more accelerated paths to obtain skills, starting from high school. Students can start stacking industry-approved and validated micro-credentials and work with two-year and four-year colleges on degrees that earn credits based on those micro-credentials.

We aim to create more pathways where a good portion of a degree, maybe half, is earned through micro-credentials. These credentials can be obtained much quicker, in a few weeks per credential, providing a flexible methodology for people to continue gaining skills while they are working and pursuing these pathways to a two or four-year degree.

The key is that these credentials are stackable across different technology lanes. Because we’re not just replacing technologies; we’re adding to the stack as technology advances at a very fast pace. However, micro-credentials only work if manufacturers include them in their job descriptions and requirements. Manufacturers must recognize and request these credentials in their job postings and prospective employees must list them on their resumes. This should be reinforced by industry as a pathway to higher-paying positions. Companies need to create clear pathways to senior positions as employees accumulate higher levels of credentials. It’s imperative that manufacturers play their crucial role in this strategy, alongside educational institutions, from high schools to colleges and universities.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: What are the most critical skills that workers need to develop in response to AI-driven transformation in manufacturing?

Conrad Leiva: The starting point would be digital literacy. Everyone on the manufacturing shop floor needs to elevate their digital competency, understand how data is important to the organization and learn how to use it in their everyday jobs. This would be in the form of interpreting charts and graphs, understanding acceptable variances in different processes, and detecting problematic patterns.

Nowadays, people are learning a lot of digital competencies at home and school, but we need to ensure we are building these competencies in the factory as well. More advanced skills would include connecting machines to provide data to automation and information technology layers. There are many Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors and edge devices available today that can even be layered over legacy equipment, making it practical to connect all areas of the plant.

I’m seeing jobs transform, with occupations and roles evolving. These are good-paying jobs. For example, the average salary for controls or automation technicians or specialists in the US is around $60,000, and these positions are projected to keep growing in demand.

Moreover, we've noticed that advanced skills, such as IIoT data capture and programming languages like Python, as well as SCADA and MES integration, can significantly increase salaries. Job postings requiring these skills offer salaries $10,000 to $20,000 higher than those that don't. This is a positive trend and should motivate people to acquire these additional skills.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: In a competitive marketplace, what strategies would you recommend to attract digital talent to the manufacturing sector?

Conrad Leiva: Young talent is used to having digital tools at home and at school. So, when they get to the manufacturing site, they do not expect to see paper-based systems and antiquated interfaces on their machines. If you want to attract young talent, you need to come across as a business that is investing in modernizing your factory practices. Otherwise, you're going to turn off and lose some of your best candidates, or, be seen as a short-term stepping stone where someone can gain some experience before they move on to a more promising employer.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: For organizations that are going through major digital transformation across their operations, what strategies would you recommend that drive successful user adoption across their workforce?

Conrad Leiva: What I recommend is that businesses define a clear road map. It is not enough to pursue technology as a continuous improvement initiative, just solving a few current issues and applying technology only where it seems to be needed. Companies need a more strategic road map that links their business strategy with their technology strategy.

Yet, we find that some manufacturers have not defined this road map, especially small to medium manufacturers, who stand to benefit the most by leapfrogging their competition and positioning themselves for better partnering opportunities. Manufacturers with better digital competencies and systems are more attractive to OEMs building ecosystems, as these partners can help create better services for their customers. Digital competency and capabilities are going to become very critical in these digital value chains and ecosystems.

Maryam Irfan, IQPC: What are you most looking forward to at the Connected Worker Summit in Chicago?

Conrad Leiva: First of all, I encourage manufacturers to attend conferences like this one to learn more about the latest available technologies, as they keep advancing at a very fast pace. It is important to understand what options are out there.

As for me, I'll be attending for a couple of reasons. One is to learn about the latest resources and solutions, which helps us expand the catalogue of solutions we expose manufacturers to. Conferences are great venues for that. We like to keep track of what options are available and integrate some of those solutions into our ecosystem. Another reason is to increase our network of people that support manufacturers.

Additionally, I want to caution manufacturers not to just fall in love with a technology and push forward with it on impulse. Attending conferences with a clear understanding of their business goals and what technologies they need to achieve them will help them focus first on the solutions they need to develop a solid foundation for real-time information sharing within their organization.

Interested in learning more?

Join your manufacturing peers at our upcoming The Connected Worker Summit in Chicago, from October 7-10, 2024, for insightful case studies and workshops on predictive and prescriptive operating environments. Download the agenda for more information.