Automation Programs for Career Advancement

Seemingly contradictory scenarios are playing out in automation and robotics. Companies might be using robots to attend to simple tasks on the production line but they still need talent to operate and repair the machines and to attend to more complex workflows. On the other side of the fence, workers seeing a potential displacement to their jobs, are looking to upskill and to their bank of knowledge so they can move up the career ladder. Automation Programs for Career Advancement.

In this push-and-pull scenario manufacturing and asset-heavy industries are asking: How do we train the talent we have for the work we want to get done? This is an especially pressing problem given that the global market for robotics is expected to expand at a compounded annual rate of close to 20%.

There’s a barrier between the skills workers possess and the ones that they need and it’s one that upskilling can help fill. That upskilling can take the form of specialty training that focuses on using and repairing specific robots or higher-order education that fills in the gaps of existing knowledge. The best part about honing such talent, experts say, is that incumbent workers already have a baseline know-how of the field and don’t have to start from scratch.

Training Robotics Workers and Operators

Training incumbent workers with a few years’ experience under their belt, is different from vocational technical education. The latter starts at a more basic level with the fundamentals and prepares employees for what to expect on the manufacturing floor.

But specialty product or application training for incumbent workers teaches them how to use technology specific to a solution.

“The incumbent worker understands how machinery works, they don’t need to revisit all the fundamentals but need to learn the product side of things: how to make machines work and how to troubleshoot them,” says Corey Adams, education program manager at Universal Robots (UR).

Through its Universal Robots Academy, UR offers both foundational instruction and application-specific training. Equipping users with the theoretical knowledge and practical competencies. Required for effective deployment of collaborative robotics systems. Through free online learning tools, workers can learn how the UR robots work and also revisit the fundamentals if they choose to.

Sara Medsger, senior director, Learning and Development at Locus Robotics, says the company’s Locus University helps build “champions” at customer sites for the company’s robotics-as-a-service solution through certification programs. The initiative stemmed from a realization that Locus needed an efficient way to train a global clientele. “It can be very challenging and costly to send trainers out to sites but by bringing Locus University into the fold, the learning management system can deliver instruction 24/7, asynchronously, and is mobile-friendly as well,” Medsger says. Trainings is delivered in easily digestible, learner-centric modules and available in multiple languages.

Certifications for Locus University programs vary depending on the end goal: fostering champions who understand how to safely interact with robots and perform tasks within warehouse or related environments, or more advanced technical training focused on preventive and corrective maintenance of robot fleets. Three certification levels build on each other. Assessments measure how much employees have learned so they can thrive in the new environment.

Understanding that the next generation of automation will include integration of AI in industrial environments, the Association for Automation Advancement (A3) offers an educational program focused on the fundamentals. One of the courses, Designing Industrial Agents, focuses on designing and orchestrating multiple AI agents to achieve autonomous industrial operations. A3 courses are specially designed with a broad audience in mind — from executives who have to make strategic decisions about AI use, to process engineers and engineering professionals who are looking to improve operational efficiencies.

Career Pathways: Moving From Operator to Supervisor

A goal of operational efficiency is also one of the reasons why companies make substantial investments in robotic equipment. When you introduce a robot or robotic system into a facility, it’s not just about understanding the technology, it’s also about making sure those working with them are doing so efficiently, especially when it comes to understanding how the components all work together.

Locus University training focuses exclusively on the Locus Robotics solution, and “operations managers can learn how to optimize and design the solution within their space in a way that continues to evolve with their ever-changing needs,” Medsger says. “We help enable a workforce to not only use these bots successfully and hit their own targets but workers also have a chance to learn more about how a robot works and how to maintain a robot,” Medsger says.

The advantage of upskilling while on the job is that it offers a vision for a concrete step forward in a career. Adams cites the example of a CNC machinist who could be considering their next move. “Learning robotics and how to operate and fix the [robots] would give them the ability to follow an upward trajectory. Instead of operating one machine, they could move to managing and troubleshooting ten robots,” Adams says. “They are moving from an operator role to a maintenance and technician role and that’s really where you’re going to see a lot of upskilling happening in the industry,” he adds.

Adams emphasizes that UR training on site is about coaching external employees not just on the fundamentals of working a robot but also about third-party equipment. “We’re teaching more of a solution through our industrial training,” Adams says. “Employees can not only increase their skillset but also potentially increase their wages within the manufacturing facility,” he adds.

Niche Training

Dürr Systems, headquartered in Germany, delivers automation-intensive equipment for automotive and other industries. The specialty knowledge required to work at Dürr is so intense that it focuses on early training so employees have the right skillset.

Instead of routine recruitment protocols followed by on-the-job training, the company culls promising high-school candidates and trains them through company-specific modules in the Germany headquarters. In addition, through a partnership with the Michigan Advanced Technician Training (MAT2) program, the company funds the student-trainees for an associate’s degree in mechatronics at the Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn. For two years, students alternate between training in the German facility and studying mechatronics at college.

Graduates of the highly selective program — Dürr accepts only two students a year — are placed in suitable jobs upon graduation and have to commit to working at Dürr for at least two years. “We help align the new graduates’ interests with what the company currently needs and even after that, there’s plenty of opportunities to move on to different roles here,” says Karen Skoczen, human resource generalist at Dürr.

The program, which recruits from Michigan-area schools, helps both parties. Students receive a fully funded education and are guaranteed jobs upon graduation, and the company gets talent who come into the job already knowing operations and protocols. “Dürr has a very niche market so understanding pain points and systems and automation equipment is very important.” says Mary Ann Hunt, talent acquisition specialist at Dürr. “The MAT2 program is a good funnel for us.”

Upskilling In-House Employees

Further down the line, employees who might not have come through the MAT2 program can take a variety of enrichment courses through the Dürr Academy. Employees looking to upskill can request reimbursement of tuition for courses that align with business needs. Skoczen chose to pursue her certification from the Society of Human Resource Management. Which adds value to the company as well as her resume. The company also offers LinkedIn Learning courses that employees can take at their own pace.

Locus also focuses on upskilling its own employees in both technical and non-technical subject areas. “Whether it’s DevOps or  improve their communication and leadership skills, we offer a variety of support,” Medsger says. Employees learn through various ways including through online modules and face-to-face sessions with peer-led lectures or outside instructors. Managers occasionally assign employees to training to upskill them on a specific area of technical focus, whether those are hard business skills or project management.

Companies looking to upskill internal employees can avail of opportunities through A3. The organization’s workforce development portal offers insight into a variety of pathways that workers can pursue to advance their careers. The portal is conveniently categorized into educator, employer, and student so users can choose the most relevant continuing education options. A range of courses and certifications add to skillsets that today’s workplace demands. The offerings are vetted by A3’s Education Committee. Which keeps a pulse on industry needs and focuses on promoting collaboration through systematic and guided education.

Cross-Divisional Growth

One of the challenges in upskilling is switching career paths within the same company. Companies often help employees move laterally. Dürr sees the benefit in allowing team members to take different pathways. “While we have distinct divisions, we work very collaboratively across functions. Giving employees opportunities to grow their careers in different directions — not just upward.” Companies have to make a concerted effort in helping with such growth, says Hunt. “Our top leadership is very invested in the training and development programs. They believe the future of Dürr lies in investing in talent and helping them grow,” Skoczen says.

Hunt has a word of advice for employees too. “Soft skills matter. Always keep your mind and eyes open to what soft skill you bring to the table. And how that might help guide you in your path,” she says.

“I think we look at advanced robotics as a trade. Not just a degree where you’re teaching the fundamentals,” Adams says. “You need to teach talent the skills needed to be successful in that space. The more we can pivot toward that model, the more successful we will be at closing the skills gap.”

https://www.automate.org/industry-insights/a-guide-to-automation-apprenticeship-trainings-and-programs-for-career-advancement

https://www.techedmagazine.com/category/news-by-industry/manufacturing-education/

Automation Programs for Career Advancement