Every industrial revolution has eliminated old jobs and created new ones. In many cases, manufacturers weren’t aware that these new jobs were even necessary. To succeed in this age of Industry 4.0, manufacturers will need to do more than just develop a workforce capable of dealing with upcoming technologies, they will need to foster a workplace culture of problem-solving and continuous improvement.
That was the advice of Tim Waldo, workforce development consultant with the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, one of three presenters in a workshop on lean manufacturing and Industry 4.0 that was held April 4, the opening day of The ASSEMBLY Show South in Nashville, TN.