Addressing The Skills Gap
The workforce skills gap has been a hot topic for the last few years, and it continues to grow. First it was the baby boomers retiring, then there weren’t enough people going into technical jobs, and now it’s evolved into a lack of the appropriate skills for the manufacturing jobs that need to be done. As manufacturing processes become more complex and digitized, the demand for associates who are proficient has surged. Unfortunately, the supply of associates with these skills has not kept pace. This has profound implications on productivity, competitiveness, and the future of manufacturing.
One of the primary drivers of the skills gap is the rapid pace of technological change. Innovations in manufacturing technologies, such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), require a workforce that is not only technically skilled but also adaptable and capable of continuous learning. These technology trends in manufacturing also highlight a need for OT cyber security as plant floor networks and connectivity needs increase. However, many of today’s associates lack the training or experience needed to work with these new technologies, particularly in the areas of OT networking and OT cyber security. In addition, educational institutions have struggled to keep up to date with the latest industry developments, creating a lag in graduates who are ready to meet current industry demands.
The Impact on Manufacturing
Companies are finding it increasingly difficult to fill positions, particularly in highly skilled roles. This shortage of qualified staff can lead to reduced productivity and innovation and increased operational costs. Manufacturing companies that are unable to find associates with the necessary skills may be less likely to adopt new technologies or processes, which can limit their competitiveness in the global market. Unfortunately, the need to implement OT cybersecurity and safe OT network design is becoming less of an option and more of a question about “how much cybersecurity protection do I need to mitigate the risk I’m not willing to live with?”
In some cases, manufacturers may be forced to outsource production or invest in automation if they can’t keep pace, both of which bring challenges in terms of machine maintenance, troubleshooting, and cybersecurity—all of which traditionally require highly skilled associates.
The Solution: OT-SDN
Addressing the OT technology skills gap requires a concerted effort from multiple stakeholders. One of the most important steps is to enhance training and education programs to better align with industry needs. Another strategy is to invest in upskilling the existing workforce. No matter what path is chosen, it is imperative to invest in the right technology to ensure an organizations workforce is set up for success.
The Veracity OT Network Controller brings software defined networking (SDN) to the plant floor – or OT-SDN. There are many ways that OT-SDN can help bridge the skills gap, but here are a few of our favorites:
- Simplify network management – OT-SDN eliminates the need for traditional networking tools like VLANs, ACLs, complicated protocols like spanning tree, complex ring protocols and more which often lead to costly downtime.
- Automate routine tasks – intelligence and automation capabilities further mitigate the skills gap with network configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting. This reduces the manual effort required and minimizes the risk of human error.
- Centralized Management – instead of a large manual effort to configure, reconfigure, and make changes to meet ongoing operational and security challenges brought about by process changes or detection of new risk, managing the OT-SDN controller from a single pane of glass improves reliability and overall management of networks without introducing additional risk.
- Flexible operations – OT-SDN allows organizations to adapt quickly to changing business needs without requiring large-scale retraining. Through a central software platform, the Veracity OT Network Controller is easy to understand and use.
OT-SDN not only addresses the immediate shortage of specialized networking skills but also creates a more versatile and adaptable workforce. Want to learn more? Check out our next product demo.
