Rockwell Automation addresses the issue of workforce availability in a white paper that covers the decline manufacturers and industrial operators around the world face.
According to Rockwell, an aging and evolving workforce threatens to reduce economic growth by 40 percent, barring a significant acceleration in productivity. The trend also affects the safety of both older and younger workers in significant ways.
At the same time, the Internet of Things and evolving technology, specifically the convergence of information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) systems, are transforming manufacturing and industrial operations through deeper visibility, greater connectivity and nearly unlimited potential for improvement, Rockwell adds.
However, these technology advances put new demands on the workforce, Rockwell says. New skills are needed to enable IT/OT convergence and to take advantage of new technology. These skills are not easily found in today’s workforce, the company says.
To succeed, Rockwell suggests manufacturers and industrial operators will have to reconsider machinery and facility design methodologies, worker training, technology implementation and safety issues in significant ways. Those who implement changes early to mitigate risks, improve efficiencies and adopt new technology will ultimately prevail.
Read Rockwell Automation’s white paper in its entirety here.