Are you hiring?
Would like to talk to us about your recruitment needs?
Whether you are an employer hiring new talent to fill a skills gap or a hiring manager looking to plan your hiring strategy for the next 12 months, it has never been more important to understand which competencies and attributes are the most sought-after in Manufacturing. In uncertain times, innovative solutions are increasingly needed to solve complex problems.
With this in mind, we have collated a list of some of the top skills which are set to shape 2021 in Manufacturing. These are the skills which teams will need to thrive and succeed this year. For team leaders, they illustrate areas that may require focus and may highlight skills gaps.
However, this should not be viewed as an issue but also as an opportunity to upskill teams and individuals to take advantage of the trends which will define the years ahead. The other articles in this eBook will help you hire with skills in mind, and help you understand why upskilling and reskilling are so important in a modern organisation.
Not a day goes by without a story around robots replacing humans in this sector hitting the headlines. However, look beyond the alarmist headlines and you will see that many experts are predicting that innovations in AI and automation will actually create more jobs and drive growth. Professionals will the skills to blend the best of humans and technology will remain highly employable in 2021.
Supplier development
Working together with suppliers will improve your manufacturing capacity and reduce costs.
Collaboration is crucial in business and working together with suppliers, whilst building positive professional relationships, will improve your manufacturing capacity and reduce costs across the board. Managing costs with a consistent supply strategy is key in the manufacturing sector. As the possibilities of industry 4.0 and innovations in AI become ever more apparent, the manufacturing sector has never been more digitally connected. In turn, this is presenting greater opportunities for real supplier development. With customer expectations rising, it is important to have skilled professionals in this area who can manage the process effectively.
Agile practices / processes
If you do not have an operation that can flex, it will struggle to outperform its competitors.
The ongoing uncertainty in today’s market has created the need for better agility in working practices and manufacturing processes. Today’s world is constantly changing, as are consumer needs and technological advances. With this in mind, if you do not have an operation that can flex accordingly, it will struggle to outperform its competitors. This extends to the organisation’s ability to build a multi-skilled workforce that can operate cross-functionally where needed. It will no longer be good enough to just go to market for the right skills, you will have to look at constantly developing your people to grow the business.
Continuous improvement
You should embed continuous improvement in the culture of the organisation at all levels.
Businesses cannot afford to believe that their current way of working doesn’t need to be assessed and improved. The world is constantly changing, and it is not slowing down. You should embed continuous improvement into the culture of the organisation at all levels. Even the most efficient operations can always find ways to drive down costs and increase margins through innovation. Empower your individuals to challenge the status quo. If your teams adopt this way of behaving and operating, you will see your business thrive.
Leading diverse teams
Leaders need to be able to manage a diverse workforce in a way that empowers them to be themselves.
There has never been such a focus on diversity and inclusion in the workforce, and it comes in many guises in the modern world. Whilst this is a huge positive across the board, it also presents a challenge to line managers and business leaders; how do you effectively manage a diverse workforce whilst capitalising on the culture it creates to drive towards commercial objectives? Strong and adaptable leaders know how to develop individuals and implement strategies that are able to evolve with the pace of technological, societal, and business change.
Data-led decision making
The skills to decipher key data and change strategies accordingly are becoming highly sought-after.
In today’s market, it isn’t uncommon for organisations to work in increasingly data-rich environments. Whilst data gathering is important, the real skill comes in knowing which data is important enough to build strategies on and make key decisions around as a result. People with the skills to decipher key information and subsequently change behaviours and strategies accordingly are becoming highly sought-after. Not only is there more data available, but more of it is in real-time, which allows increased speed of change and adaptation.
Speed of change skills
The ability to adapt to changes in market demand is critical to commercial success.
The speed of technological advancement continues to accelarate. However the need to shorten product lifecycles increases pressure on manufacturing organisations to improve their product development processes. The automotive sector is an example of this; after years of product evolution, the Electric Vehicle (EV) revolution is upon us. EV platforms architecture and technology are massively different from traditional petrol or diesel vehicles, and the automotive supply chain is under considerable pressure to adapt – or lose market share to more technologically-focused organisations.
Supply & demand planning
Proven supply and demand planning skills are continuously sought-after by businesses.
Supply and demand is one of the bedrocks of business – and whilst technological change is radically altering the output of many modern manufacturing operations, this traditional principle remains. As the pace and variety of many manufacturing organisations continue to increase, it becomes more and more critical to balance supply and demand parameters. Economic pressure to manufacture exactly what is required promptly further increases the need to balance supply and demand, as holding raw materials/components or finished stock increases the risk of financial exposure. For this reason, professionals with supply and demand planning skills are crucial in a manufacturing operation.
Regulations expertise
The knowledge and in-depth understanding of new, old, and any future regulations is valuable.
In the ever-changing market that we find ourselves in, your teams must keep abreast of all changes that may be occurring in their business and the wider sector. Having knowledge and understanding of potential changes caused by Brexit, and increased electrification that is bound to strike the sector soon, in terms of automotive, aerospace, and general manufacturing, will enable your business to be adaptable and ready for the future. There is now more change than ever before, at a faster rate. This means that the ability to understand and manage complex legislation is business critical.
