Voice of the Manufacturing Manager 2024 Part 2: Upskilling and New Skill Sets
A strong organization thrives with happy, well-trained, and engaged workers who contribute their skills and knowledge. Strengthening this vision involves a commitment to upskilling—enhancing employees’ capabilities while improving their overall performance.
91% say their company is making upskilling a priority for workers
This year, 91% of respondents said their company is prioritizing upskilling initiatives to enhance worker skills, a significant increase from 77% in 2023. Only 9% are not focused on upskilling. The emphasis on employee development reflects the industry's growing recognition of skill enhancement as a key driver for adapting to new technologies and maintaining productivity.
Is your company making upskilling a priority for your workers?
[Upskilling: increasing a worker's skillset to help them improve in their current roles, while reskilling involves teaching workers skills to transition to new roles.]
Top Upskilling Initiatives
Manufacturing companies that prioritize upskilling focus on various methods, with 71% providing on-site or on-the-job training, 52% offering access to an online training platform, and 47% covering tuition for courses and training. Tied with this, 47% are also giving paid time off for training. Additionally, 38% offer career and professional development guidance, and 23% are incorporating mobile apps or wearable devices into their upskilling programs. Compared to 2023, there has been growth in support for training courses (47% this year, up from 32% last year) and a more balanced distribution across initiatives, signaling a wider variety of upskilling strategies.
What are you doing to help your team upskill? [Select all that apply]
Voice of the Manufacturing Manager 2024
Poised on the edge of growth and change, manufacturing leaders are helping shape the future of their business, their industry, and their workforce. This report shows you what's working, what's changing, and what’s ahead.
Kerrie Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer at Epicor, leads the global go-to-market efforts, bringing together her deep product innovation and strategic marketing experience to drive brand growth and customer engagement across the make, move, and sell industry communities.