During her presentation at the 2025 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Principal Investigators’ Conference, Karen Wosczyna-Birch shared that a recent survey in Connecticut found that the biggest challenge facing manufacturers and manufacturing educators is not that young people misperceive manufacturing workplaces as dirty or noisy.
The real issue is that many people have no idea how things are made, what manufacturers are near them, nor the potential worthwhile careers available in manufacturing.
“The challenge there is bigger than changing the perception; it is creating the image of what manufacturing does, and what things are actually produced,” said Woscyna-Birch. She is the executive director and principal investigator of the National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, an ATE Center based in Connecticut.
From her vantage point interacting with manufacturers across the country, Woscyna-Birch reported that advanced manufacturers are:
- Implementing artificial intelligence (AI) everywhere as they assess the return on investment where AI is used in customer service, product design, quality, sustainability and safety.
- Investing in smart operation management systems, 5G cellular network technologies to support data and communication, and extended reality and AI technologies.
- Using digital tools for supply chain processes that support better planning and communication with suppliers.
- Intertwining cybersecurity with smart manufacturing priorities.
- Leveraging various technologies to retain workers by improving their work experiences and closing their skill gaps.
“In the next five years, the most critical workforce skills will be a combination of AI and cybersecurity, and strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills,” Woscyna-Birch predicted.
She identified the top technology skills that employers want as data analytics, predictive maintenance, automation understanding, AI and machine learning, quality control, inspection production work and cybersecurity.
The top employability or soft skills that employers want are teamwork, attention to detail, problem-solving, clear and effective communication, and adaptability, she said.
For more information on manufacturing trends she recommends reading Rockwell Automation’s “10th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing” and White House reports on manufacturing.
