There is no shortage of terms to describe the new phase in manufacturing because it’s big news in industry. From Industry 4.0 to Connected Industry or Smart Factories, they all mean the same thing and that is that we are entering an era where technology and technical talent are critical components for success in industrial manufacturing.
Are you ready to become a smart factory and do you have the talent to get you there?
In a nutshell, Industry 4.0 or Manufacturing 4.0 is concerned with the automation, processing and exchange of data, however the ramifications of that in terms of talent go far deeper.
Global consultancy leaders, McKinsey define Industry 4.0 as “the next phase in the digitization of the manufacturing sector, driven by four disruptions: the rise in data volumes, computational power and connectivity, new low-power wide-area networks; the emergence of analytics and business-intelligence capabilities; new forms of human-machine interaction; and improvements in transferring digital instructions to the physical world, such as advanced robotics and 3-D printing.”
These digital technologies, many of which are still very new in terms of adoption, require specialist skills from a talented, in-demand technological workforce with a comprehensive understanding of new technologies and strategies, from the Internet-of-Things and cloud computing to data management, user interface design and cyber security.
There remains a great deal of confusion surrounding how to become a smart factory, with many within the manufacturing and industrial engineering sectors not fully appreciating the power of emerging technologies. That said, as overwhelming as it may seem, there are some basic approaches that will aid the transition into this new industrial revolution, which every company can build on over time.
3 Fundamental Steps to Recruiting Talent for your Smart Factory
- Appoint an expert team and leader to champion the transition. Whether that team is external or not, it is important to have in-house leadership to steer the recruitment of new talent and the adoption of new technologies.
- Establish an agile, IoT-savvy IT team to take on responsibility for the management of all technical services, connectivity, maintenance and software upgrades. Harness the skills of talented engineers and technical staff to help you maximise on emerging technologies.
- Bring the right tools and technologies on-board for your people. Good talent and great technology go hand-in-hand; neither are much good without the other in a smart factory.
Sounds simple, right? It can be if you choose the right partners and seek the right advice for smooth integration and intelligent, future-focused Industry 4.0 recruitment. Here are 5 things you should know if you’re recruiting for Industry 4.0.
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