Bridging skill gaps and labor shortages within the packaging and processing industry remains an important objective. Enhancing employee performance and making manufacturing roles more attractive and sustainable in the long-term are two goals industry professionals agree on, and there are seven practices seen as most effective in addressing operation and maintenance workforce obstacles.
That’s according to PMMI Business Intelligence’s “Technology & Workforce: Using Smart Technologies to Bridge the Skills Gap,” a report that captures insight from packaging and processing end-users and OEMs on the role technology can play in addressing the increasing skills gap and the burden of costly training periods for new hires. The report stems from a Q&A session and roundtable discussions between expert panelists and industry participants at PACK EXPO International 2024.
The intelligence team surveyed industry attendees and asked about the practices, technologies, or services that would be most effective in addressing operation and maintenance workforce limitations. The results are shown below:
Participants were asked to choose the most effective option for their business from the list provided.PMMI Business Intelligence: Technology & Workforce: Using Smart Technologies to Bridge the Skills Gap
Automating changeovers, using app-based solutions for troubleshooting, and relying more on digital solutions stood out as seemingly effective practices.
Nevertheless, industry professionals noted eight key roadblocks to implementing such practices, including the following:
· Lack of budget
· High initial investment, coupled with doubts about the return on investment (ROI)
· Lack of knowledgeable and skilled staff
· Substantial training needs
· Lack of access to machine data due to firewalls and classified machines
· Challenges in updating legacy technology
· Internal resistance to change
· Difficulties for organizations of all sizes in transitioning to a new system
SOURCE: PMMI Business Intelligence: Technology & Workforce: Using Smart Technologies to Bridge the Skills Gap
For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including “2024 Data Acquisition, Sharing and Utilization” and “2024 The AI Advantage in Equipment: Boosting Performance and Bridging Skills Gap” at pmmi.org/business-intelligence.
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