by Gary Mintchell | Jul 13, 2017 | Manufacturing IT, Technology
In 2030 every organization will be a technology organization and as such businesses need to start thinking today about how to future-proof their infrastructure and workforce, according to a report published by Dell Technologies. The research, led by the Institute for the Future (IFTF) alongside 20 technology, academic and business experts from across the globe, looks at how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality and cloud computing, will transform our lives and how we work over the next decade. The report, titled ‘The Next Era of Human-Machine Partnerships‘ also offers insight on how consumers and businesses can prepare for a society in flux.
Interesting thing about this report is that it is not simply Dell’s technology or market strategy wrapped in the guise of a “research” report like the typical analyst job.
The report forecasts that emerging technologies, supported by massive advancements in software, big data and processing power, will reshape lives. Society will enter a new phase in its relationship with machines, which will be characterized by:
- Even greater efficiency and possibility than ever before, helping humans transcend our limitations
- Humans as “digital conductors” in which technology will work as an extension of people, helping to better direct and manage daily activities
- Work chasing people, in which by using advanced data-driven matchmaking technologies, organizations can find and employ talent from across the world
- People learning “in the moment,” as the pace of change will be so rapid that new industries will be created and new skills will be required to survive
Dell Technologies commissioned the study to help companies navigate an uncertain world and prepare for the future. Today, digital disruption is ruthlessly redrawing industries. For the first time in modern history, global leaders can’t predict how their industry will fare further down the line. According to Dell’s Digital Transformation Index, 52 percent of senior decision makers across 16 countries have experienced significant disruption to their industries as a result of digital technologies. And nearly one in two businesses believe there’s a possibility their company will become obsolete within the next three to five years.
Not your usual analyst firm, Institute for the Future (IFTF) is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) strategic research and educational organization celebrating nearly 50 years of forecasting experience. The core of our work is identifying emerging trends and discontinuities that will transform global society and the global marketplace. The Institute for the Future is based in Palo Alto, California.
IFTF relied on its decades-long study on the future of work and technology, in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, and the opinions and ideas generated during an all-day facilitated workshop with a diverse set of experts from across the globe.
They studied robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality, and cloud computing with the goal of projecting the impacts of these technologies by 2030. I had the opportunity to talk with Liam Quinn, sr. vice president and CTO of Dell Technologies about this report and he added comments about the Internet of Things. More on that interview in my next reflection of the report.
“Never before has the industry experienced so much disruption. The pace of change is very real, and we’re now in a do-or-die landscape. To leap ahead in the era of human-machine partnerships, every business will need to be a digital business, with software at its core,” said Jeremy Burton, chief marketing officer, Dell. “But organizations will need to move fast and build capacity in their machines, ready their infrastructure and enable their workforce in order to power this change.”
“We’ve been exposed to two extreme perspectives about machines and the future: the anxiety-driven issue of technological unemployment or the over optimistic view that technology will cure all our social and environmental ills,” said Rachel Maguire, research director, Institute for the Future. “Instead we need to focus on what the new relationship between technology and people could look like and how we can prepare accordingly. If we engage in the hard work of empowering human-machine partnerships to succeed, their impact on society will enrich us all.”
Other report highlights include:
- In 2030 humans’ reliance on technology will evolve into a true partnership with humans, bringing skills such as creativity, passion and an entrepreneurial mindset. This will align with the machines’ ability to bring speed, automation and efficiencies, and the resulting productivity will allow for new opportunities within industries and roles.
- By 2030 personalized, integrated artificial intelligence (AI) assistants will go well beyond what assistants can do now. They’ll take care of us in predictive and automated ways.
- Technology won’t necessarily replace workers, but the process of finding work will change. Work will cease to be a place but a series of tasks. Machine learning technologies will make individuals’ skills and competencies searchable, and organizations will pursue the best talent for discrete tasks.
- An estimated 85 percent of jobs in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. The pace of change will be so rapid that people will learn “in-the-moment” using new technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. The ability to gain new knowledge will be more valuable than the knowledge itself.
Exploring the technology areas:
Robotics—Buoyed by their commercial success, the adoption of robots will extend beyond manufacturing plants and the workplace. Family robots, caregiving robots, and civic robots will all become commonplace as deep learning improves robots’ abilities to empathize and reason.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning—According to Michelle Zhou, an expert in AI, development can be thought of in three stages. The first is recognition intelligence—algorithms that recognize patterns; followed by cognitive intelligence—machines that make inferences from data; with the final stage being virtual human beings. It is plausible that, by 2030, we will enter the second stage in AI as this technology progresses.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality—Despite the difference, both technologies represent a fundamental shift in information presentation because they allow people to engage in what Toshi Hoo, Director of IFTF’s Emerging Media Lab, calls “experiential media” as opposed to representative media. The information layer that both technologies create will accelerate the melding of digital and physical identities, with digital drails and traces forming a digital coating over individuals’ physical environments.
Cloud Computing—It’s important to recognize that Cloud Computing isn’t a place, it’s a way of doing IT. It is already in wide use. For example, Chitale Dairy (in India) launched a ‘cow to cloud’ initiative in which each cow is fitted with RFID tags to capture data that is held in the cloud. The relevant analysis of this data is then sent to the local farmers via SMS and the web, to alert farmers when they need to change the cows’ diet, arrange vaccinations, etc. The timely delivery of this information is increasing the cows’ yield, supporting local farmers, whose livelihoods depend on the dairy farms, and enabling Chitale to manage a part of the supply chain which is normally fraught with uncertainty.
You can also check out the Dell blog.
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 17, 2016 | Automation, Education, News, Workforce
Rockwell Automation has long supported FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — among other things supplying floor space during Automation Fair so that students can show off robotic projects. Now Rockwell Automation has announced a $12M, four-year commitment to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.
Over the past 10 years, Rockwell Automation has provided more than $15M of broad-based support to address the critical need to fill science, technology, education and math (STEM) jobs that drive innovation. Many of these jobs go unfilled because of both the lack of awareness of the kinds of high-tech jobs available, and the lack of skills to qualify for today’s needs.
“Through our technology and people, we are helping to inspire the next generation of innovators to fill the talent pipeline for our customers and for our company,” said Blake Moret, President and CEO, Rockwell Automation. “Our strategic partnership with FIRST helps us increase our reach and visibility to STEM students around the world.”
In addition to being a global sponsor of the FIRST LEGO League program and sole sponsor of the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control Award, nearly 200 Rockwell Automation employees around the world donate their time for the FIRST programs, and more than 300 employees volunteer for the organization in other capacities. The company also donates products integral to FIRST program games and scoring. These product donations are specifically used for the FIRST Robotics Competition playing fields and scoring systems, and they are included within the parts kits teams use to build their robots.
“This generous, multiyear commitment from Rockwell Automation will allow us to focus on the strategic aspects of our partnership while continuing to help scale our programs and expose students to a broader range of industry-leading products and applications,” said Donald E. Bossi, President, FIRST. “The company has a long, rich history of supporting FIRST.”
Rockwell Automation is recognized as a FIRST Strategic Partner, which signifies the highest levels of sponsorship available at FIRST. It is also a FIRST Robotics Competition Crown Supplier.
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $30 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST LEGO League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST LEGO League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 17, 2016 | Automation, Motion Control, News, Technology
The Festo International Press Conference has taken me on manufacturing and technology tours to Germany and Hungary in the past. This year’s event was a short drive down Interstate 75 to Cincinnati, Ohio. Here a large international press contingent toured its new $70 M state-of-the-art distribution and manufacturing center.
The facility features a highly automated order picking system unique to the manufacturing industry in North America and only comparable to the highly sophisticated warehouse systems of the strongest retail brands. With these new premises Festo is now able to triple its capacities: This allows for more flexibility, improved services and offers plenty of space for future growth.
Excellent growth prospects
The center is designed to allow for the speed and flexibility needed to accommodate Festo’s future growth in the NAFTA market (US, Canada and Mexico). The RSC will also support the expected growth in Mexico, which is becoming a recognized hub for the automotive industry. The new center has Foreign Trade Zone status, which makes it faster and more efficient to support customers in the US, Canada and Mexico from a central US location.
With a storage capacity of 65,000 bins, the highly automated warehouse system – implemented by Witron, the leading designer and supplier of fully automated warehouse and logistics systems – features seven high-performance picking stations and the capability to pick and pack 1,000 items per hour. “As regional and US sales continue to grow, this Regional Service Center will provide a strong product supply backbone for the North American market with best in class supply chain performance“, said Yannick Schilly, Head of Product Supply NAFTA
and RSC Mason.
Festo Value Production (Lean)
The facility features an implementation of the Festo Value Production system (FVP). This system is based on closely involving employees in defining standards and continuously improving processes and technical solutions. Great emphasis is placed on consistent communication as well as the visualization of objectives and results. It is thus possible to produce globally over 30,000 products with countless variants and deliver tailor-made solutions to customers all over the world within a matter of days.
The Regional Service Center features both an assembly area and the warehousing/picking area. When assembly is completed, the finished product is transported to the Regional Service Center (RSC) for shipment. All components in a system are grouped by barcode, packaged for shipping, and then shipped out to schedule.
“Our customers in North America expect top quality ‘made by Festo’, with guaranteed supplies and next-day delivery at prices in keeping with local market conditions. At the same time, energy efficiency, environmental protection and occupational safety are becoming increasingly important. The Regional Service Center in Mason/Ohio will secure our regional supplies to the North American market for the years ahead,” concludes Dr. Dirk Erik Loebermann, Chief Operation Officer and Member of the Festo Management Board.
Training and Apprenticeship Program
Festo has established a separate group, Festo Didactic, which provides training and apprenticeship programs both for Festo products and systems as well as for automation in general. In Mason, Didactic has partnered with Sinclair Community College and five companies in the Cincinnati tri-state area (Art Metal Group, Clippard Instruments, Festo Inc., MQ Automation, Nestlé) to create a two-year Mechatronics Apprenticeship Program to help employers develop the skills that are missing in the workforce today by combining theoretical education, hands-on training, and on the job training. The apprenticeship is designed to help individuals learn advanced manufacturing skills as well as earn an associate’s degree in mechatronics.
The first cohort of the program includes 11 apprentices who are training for careers as maintenance technicians, automation specialists, service technicians, and manufacturing technicians. The program uses the German apprenticeship model of dual education, where apprentices learn in a classroom and maintain a steady job.
Every week each apprentice spends one day at Sinclair Community College for classes, one day using state-of-the-art equipment at the new Festo Learning Center in Mason, and three days working at their respective employers. The apprentices are able to take what they learn in class, practice it at the Festo Learning Center, and then use that new knowledge and skill in a real-life work environment. “In terms of educational modality, the apprenticeship model couldn’t be a better fit for manufacturing,” says Vice President for Regional Centers at Sinclair Community College Scott Markland.
The Festo Learning Center is a unique part of the program. The Center is designed to meet international standards for production facilities and labs. It provides the apprentices a training facility where they can work with instructors on high-end Festo workstations that simulate a work environment and corresponds to their classroom curriculum.
Industry 4.0
For manufacturing companies in high-wage countries, Industry 4.0 provides an opportunity for remaining competitive on a global scale. “We are talking here about the transformation of industrial manufacture into a fully networked, flexible production system. To remain competitive, we must take the initiative with our characteristic spirit of inventiveness and give shape to this new development”, says Prof. Peter Post, Head of Corporate Research and Technology of Festo AG & Co. KG.
This transformation in the world of production is founded on digitalization, a crucial element in the merging of the virtual and real worlds. Prof. Post sees great potential here: “Digital refinement will give rise to increasingly intelligent products. In future, the individual elements of an overall system will be able to communicate with each other and autonomously control and regulate themselves. They are the core of industrial digitalization and support the production process through enhanced functionality – from classic aspects such as productivity and quality on to increasing individualization.”
To optimally leverage these new capabilities of intelligent products, cooperation needs to be established with many systems and business processes. “Together with our partners in Industry 4.0, we’re currently defining the new language of Industry 4.0. The German ‘Plattform Industrie 4.0’ with its widespread members from office and shop floor, as well as from standardizations and associations, works on joint reference models and international standards. This will allow for engineering the digital work stream in a kind of plug&play manner! The intelligent devices will describe themselves and will autonomously find the right collaboration partners”, details Dr. Michael Hoffmeister, representing the portfolio management software of Festo AG & Co. KG. “In the future, digitizing these virtual added values of a component will be as important as manufacturing the physical part”, he says.
Being one of the main drivers of standardization within Industry 4.0, Dr. Hoffmeister points out, how important worldwide collaboration is: “We’re working technically closely together with our colleagues from the Industrial Internet Consortium. Our business scopes are complementing each other and our architectures are mapping together”.
Festo Customers in the Region
We toured two customer plants in the area. HAHN Automation and Storopack.
HAHN Automation is one of the leading manufacturers of special machinery for automated production. Its main customers are the automotive industry and its suppliers. “We have a firm focus on customer proximity, since that is the only way we can ensure our quality standards and guarantee intensive project support,” says John Baines.
This strategy has borne fruit, as shown by the successful cooperation with customers located within three hours’ drive of Cincinnati. The nationwide list of customers reads like a who’s who of the industry: from BMW to BorgWarner, Brose, Continental or Mitsubishi, HAHN Automation’s customers include most of the industry’s global players. Another practical point is the closeness of its own facilities to Cincinnati Airport, which is just ten minutes away. This also explains why the company is developing and supplying its site in Mexico from its US factory.
Modular cell concept
HAHN Automation’s main concept is the MasterCell. A MasterCell can either be used as an automatic single workstation with manual component placement or combined into technologically sophisticated automation systems. The modular system design is based on the principle of fast and cost-effective expansion in line with demand as production quantities increase. In the MasterCell modern robots as well as leading-edge assembly and testing technology are used, making it suitable for challenging assembly and testing processes.
The benefits for customers include the standardized cell structure, ease of handling and operation, ergonomic design, high quality, high availability, short delivery times, great economic efficiency, flexible degrees of automation and high levels of customizability.
Festo automation components play an important role in the MasterCell concept: from the modular automation platform CPX/MPA to pneumatic drives from the standard product range and pneumatic grippers, HAHN Automation uses key products from the automation specialist. These are used in almost all assembly cells.
Packaging Material
Packaging material is a typical throwaway product. Packages arrive, are opened, the goods are removed, and the filler material is thrown away. “Hardly anyone – apart from Storopack – thinks about how important it is to select the right protective packaging products in the right quantity and quality for a particular application,” explains Daniel Wachter, President of Storopack for North America in Cincinnati, Ohio. Incorrect or inadequate filler material can damage goods in transit, while excessive or incorrectly inserted protective packaging material can significantly reduce productivity at packing stations in distribution centers.
Storopack produces – among other things – its AIRplus film rolls to supply to distributors and customers throughout the world. During the primary process, plastic granulate is formed into basic plastic film at blown film lines. This is then wound onto rolls by winding machines. These machines are equipped with standard cylinders DSBC which allow the rollers of the winding machines to be correctly aligned, depending on the load.
On configuration lines in the secondary process, the film is configured to the required dimensions and perforations and packed as finished AIRplus rolls. Stamping tools are used to seal and perforate the infinite plastic film to form air cushions of specific widths and lengths. These lines are also equipped with pneumatic cylinders DSBC, as well as rotary cylinders DSNU-PPS, compact cylinders ADN and short-stroke cylinders ADVC, controlled in each case by individual valves CPE 14.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 10, 2016 | Automation
Last Friday, October 7, was National Manufacturing Day. Pointing toward that recognition, I participated in a Twitter Chat with PwC (Bob McCutcheon) and The Manufacturing Institute (Jennifer McNelly). I have participated on several of these. It’s pretty interesting. You can search #MFGTalent on Twitter and see the thread.
That same week, Moira Gunn interviewed Dan Mote, president of the National Academy of Engineering, on her NPR radio show TechNation Radio. You can find the podcast on iTunes or other podcatchers.
During the interview, Mote pointed out, “The key to engineering is being creative, not necessarily the math. You must care about solutions.”
I’ve heard it said that engineers are problem solvers. Most of the math I have studied was only partially about manipulating symbols. It was more about logical thinking and solving problems. For an engineer, math is a tool. Logic is life.
Twitter Chat
Here is a transcript of part of the chat we had to give you a flavor. It gets more interesting as people share links and facts.
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Welcome to Tweet Chat concerning manufacturing talent. Please chime in. Now for the first question. Q1 Where do you see a manufacturing skills shortage? Or, would you argue that there is none? #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 As opposed to a skills shortage, we see that there is currently a shift in skillset in the manufacturing workforce #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A1 There is a shortage w/ production workers & high-skill employees. 2/3 see talent shortage worsening in next 3 years. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A1 By 2025, 3 million #mfg jobs will need to be filled and 2 million will go unfilled due to skills gap. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 Factories are getting smarter and the reality is, the next gen of the manufacturing workforce needs to keep up. #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A1 In fact, high percentage of manufacturers are embracing measures to grow & train a workforce that can keep pace with new tech #MFGTalent
Steve Minter @sgminterIW Do estimates of mfg job shortages account for technology changes? #mfgtalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam .@sgminterIW More than 1/3 of manufacturers said that investing in advanced technology will create jobs. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob Bob McCutcheon Retweeted Steve Minter Industry 4.0 and tech advances are creating a shift in skillset, meaning the type of jobs manufacturers need will change #MFGTalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Following up, Q2 is this just numerical change in jobs or a qualitative change? #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A2 It’s a qualitative change as advanced technology is changing job requirements and descriptions #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A2 Qualitative change! Manufacturers will need skilled workers for advanced manufacturing technologies. #MFGTalent #MFGday16
Shannon Schuyler @ShannonSchuyler We all must work together to create education and training opportunities beyond the classroom for workers to retool their skills #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A2 There will be a change in the type of jobs – high-tech, innovative, and computerized. #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam .@sgminterIW We need strong public-private partnership. Efforts like WIOA help advance collaboration #certification #Mfgtalent #MFGDay16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob We need continued investment in STEM & training development programs in local communities – what are your thoughts @sgminterIW? #MFGTalent
Mike Dillon @mikedillonsf Worth noting – Diverse companies outcompete those lacking diversity & they make better decisions. Promote #workforce #diversity #MFGTalent
In reply to Bob McCutcheon Steve Minter @sgminterIW Most successful co’s I’ve seen taking initiative and forging strong ties w/ local schools, community colleges, etc @MccutcheonBob #MFGTalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob Q3 The focus will be put on jobs tied to #Industry40, with skills based on STEM
In reply to Bob McCutcheon Gary Mintchell @garymintchell @MccutcheonBob Bob, STEM knowledge is essential, but I think we miss the mark if it’s not combined with art, music, literature. #MFGTalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell Building on Bob and Steve, Q6, how can mfrs attract these STEM students?
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A6 Offer work-based learning like internships & apprenticeships and engage young employees as ambassadors. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute A6 Showcase the diverse roles manufacturing can offer! There’s a place for everyone in #mfg. #MFGTalent #MFGDAY16
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A6 Having a strong relationship w/ educational institutions / universities to introduce the many facets of mfg will be key #MFGtalent
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob A6 Manufacturers can recruit STEM students directly from graduation, attend job fairs and provide well-crafted internships #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A6 Check out this Ambassador toolkit to help engage early career leaders @TheMfgInstitute #Mfgtalent #MFGDay16 http://ow.ly/yKld304QKDF
Steve Minter @sgminterIW A6 Manufacturers should also pay attention to onboarding and early career development #mfgtalent
Gary Mintchell @garymintchell As we wrap up, what excites you about the future of manufacturing, technology, and new talent? #MFGTalent
Jennifer McNelly @Jmcnellynam A career in modern #mfg means great pay, challenging opportunities, the ability to lead and learn for a lifetime. #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
In reply to Gary Mintchell
Bob McCutcheon @MccutcheonBob @garymintchell The new, exciting products that our manufacturing floors could produce with the help of tech and talent #MFGTalent
TheMfgInstitute @TheMfgInstitute The future of #manufacturing holds the opportunity to change the world with innovative products! #MFGTalent #MFGDay16
And that seemed to be the best summary. Let’s go change the world.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 22, 2016 | Technology, Workforce
Writers have been busy wringing their hands over a “coming workforce crisis” in industry and manufacturing for years. Hand wringing is a professional hazard for magazine editors and other writers. You know, like the old fable about Chicken Little and “the sky is falling.”
I’ve long maintained that we will tackle these problems in due time as the opportunities and actual needs arise.
Klein Tools catalyzed my thoughts in this direction once more by sending a not on the results of its second-annual ‘State of the Industry’ survey. Over the course of two years, the survey asked more than 400 union and non-union electricians about their project preferences on job sites. This year it found higher percentages of electricians who prefer to work on high-tech installations, and home technology remains the most widely viewed residential trend by electricians.
High-tech Installations
The Klein Tools’ State of the Industry survey found preferences towards working on industrial projects, office buildings and commercial properties have stayed relatively the same since last year. There was a noticeable increase, however, in the number of union electricians, and electricians with 10 to 19 years’ experience, indicating they prefer to work on high-tech installations.
- This year, 42 percent of union electricians say they prefer working on high-tech installations, up from 31 percent in 2015.·
- The survey also found 51 percent of electricians with 10 to 19 years of industry experience said they prefer working on high-tech installations, a significant increase from 24 percent in 2015.
- In comparison, 29 percent of electricians with less than 10 years’ experience said they prefer working on high-tech installations, and only 24 percent of electricians with more than 20 years’ experience said they prefer working on high-tech installations.
“We’re seeing increased interest from younger electricians and apprentices in high-tech systems. They see opportunities to work on the latest technology as a way to gain experience in an area of future growth and like the challenge associated with learning a complicated skill,” said Mark Klein, president of Klein Tools. “It’s great to also learn many experienced electricians are taking a fondness to more advanced systems and want to keep up-to-date on their craft. This allows electricians with varying levels of expertise to learn from each other on the jobsite and advance the entire industry as technology continues changing the way we operate.”
Multi-Family and Smart Homes
The Klein Tools’ State of the Industry survey also found electricians are seeing more smart or “connected” homes in residential areas. Technology in homes is the most popular trend viewed amongst electricians—over open living spaces, home additions and multi-family homes. However, multi-family homes have significantly increased since 2015.
· Nearly one-half of electricians, 48 percent, are seeing more smart or connected homes in the residential area—just slightly down from 56 percent in 2015.
o One-third of electricians, or 31 percent, are seeing more multi-family homes in the residential area, up significantly from 25 percent in 2015.
“This tech-focused residential data aligns with what we’re seeing in the industry,” added Klein. “Contractors are calling for more technicians who are skilled in newer, more digital-tech focused systems, and technicians are doing their best to keep up with this developing trend. Klein Tools is working with its partners to ensure younger electricians are trained in the old and news models so they are prepared for all types of scenarios on the job site.”
Solving Not Hand Wringing Over Workforce
In the same vein of thinking, these writers have also been wringing hands over millennials. Will they work? Will they just be like when they were kids? How about the following generation? Coddled and part of the entitlement society where everyone won a trophy, will they be able to hold a job?
Well, “they” said that about my generation. And the GenX generation. Overall, despite some problems with kids learning to make their way, there are plenty of good workers. They also bring along some better values than the later part of the Boomers who thought mostly about partying and drugs.
Educators and business executives rise to meet challenges. Check out Paul Galeski’s column in ISA InTech on mentoring. This is an important initiative that companies can promote. Or, just you. If you are not mentoring someone now, find someone.
