Both professional and vocational engineering training are evolving to address skill gaps and workforce-readiness issues.

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Advancing communication technologies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and new digital-transformation approaches have forever changed the way technical training in manufacturing and automation is conducted. Now analytics tools can track training progress; adaptive learning can adjust curricula to offer personalized resources; and online collaboration software enables peer-to-peer learning and online classroom sessions. Where training occurs in the field, realtime feedback from IoT-enabled devices can help trainees more quickly understand how to interface with machinery. Finally, the burgeoning field of cybersecurity training has evolved to support endusers requiring digital systems that protect sensitive data and processes.

To learn more about these technologies and the specifics of how technical training has continued to evolve, we recently asked several industry experts about their companies’ education efforts. Here’s what those experts had to say.

MEET THE EXPERTS
Brian Burke | Product manager III • Bishop-Wisecarver Corp.
Brian Dengel | General manager • KHK USA Inc.
Chris Caldwell | Product manager – material handling • Yaskawa Motoman
Daniel Rodriguez | Sales director • Festo Didactic
Emily Blanchard | Senior global commercial training specialist • Kollmorgen
Josh Leath | Senior product manager — thermal • Yaskawa Motoman
Lauren Griffith | Director of learning and development • Schaeffler Americas
Mike Korkowski | Operations manager • LinMot USA
Nina Golder | VP of global lifecycle services • Emerson
Robert Cachro | Program manager — growth and innovation • Dynapar
Sebastian Werler | Head of product management and software development — digital business • Festo

The rise of e-learning

Remote and so-called electronic learning or e-learning have gained traction over the last 20 years; the COVID-19 pandemic only hastened that trend. Now, many component and system suppliers offer online training modules to let personnel learn at their own pace and revisit engineering topics until subject mastery is achieved. Mobile learning platforms also let workers access training materials for accessible continuous-learning options.

Detail your organization’s efforts to promote technical training since COVID.

Golder: The COVID pandemic and its aftereffects have dramatically increased self-education culture. People learned to do all kinds of new things during the pandemic using the massive amounts of easily consumable online content available on demand on sites such as YouTube and TikTok. So now, people expect 24×7 access to various resources to help them more quickly solve problems without the need to wait for an expert to arrive. After all, sometimes the experts can’t be there in person as quickly as they’re needed.

In response to this trend, Emerson is developing a library of short how-to videos called MicroTrainings that users can access on demand. Each video is less than five minutes long. In them, Emerson experts walk viewers through issues that commonly challenge engineers, operators, and technicians. If a problem arises in the middle of a project or shift, users can get help right then and there. Whether they’re working through an immediate problem or using the videos as a training tool to prepare for the inevitable, people can use MicroTrainings to constantly improve their skills so that in the future, plant issues are less likely to become outages.

Rodriguez: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Festo had implemented distributed technologies in our products and operations; e-learning, simulation, remote meeting platforms were used to train users and congregate our own remote teams across continents and time zones.

When COVID-19 hit, we saw education and training significantly impacted across our main customer base as well as at technical colleges and universities. Many of these institutions began implementing remote learning and virtual training strategies. Luckily, Festo was already positioned with key products — including our fluid-power simulation platform FluidSIM that we began to offer free of charge on a limited basis.

Many educational programs that were not already using these products very quickly transitioned to them. They also began to implement virtual classrooms using tools such as Teams and Zoom which became integral for group projects, discussions, and remote teamwork. This shift let users access training (albeit virtual) from anywhere — enabling flexibility in education and training to proceed despite the pandemic. We also implemented remote access capabilities in some of our equipment so students could access and exercise equipment from home.

Increased adoption of simulation and digital twins (which we were already using before COVID-19 on several platforms) let our endusers virtually design, test, and troubleshoot training products. This reduced the need for physical access to facilities and boosted collaboration across distributed teams.

These changes aimed to adapt to the limitations imposed by the pandemic while leveraging technology to maintain educational training for our endusers along with uninterrupted collaboration among our own design, engineering, sales, and manufacturing teams.

B. Burke: Bishop-Wisecarver University is an online training platform that we utilize internally to provide role-specific training courses for new hires … and to grow the knowledge of our existing workforce. BWU is an online platform with a growing list of courses that lets employees schedule learning at their own pace. This platform was vital during COVID restrictions because new hires could receive quality training based on our industry knowledgebase. Now, as an extension of the platform, BWU is expanding to in-person face-to-face training for new hires.

Cachro: Before the pandemic, Dynapar heavily relied on in-person sessions, hands-on workshops, and live demonstrations for product training. However, the onset of COVID-19 prompted a swift shift to virtual platforms. This adaptation was a response to the immediate challenges of the pandemic as well as a strategic move emphasizing self-service approaches to education. Key elements of this transition include …

Digital video tutorials: A significant initiative has been the creation of comprehensive video tutorials, exemplified by those for the HS35iQ product launch. These tutorials are self-paced to let learners access and revisit the content as needed, from any location and at any time.

Webinars and virtual workshops: Traditional in-person events have been largely replaced by live webinars and virtual workshops. These sessions often feature Q&A segments to foster realtime interaction with experts.

Product certification and partner empowerment: The HS35iQ Champion Program is central to our new strategy. It serves to acknowledge professional skills and promote ongoing learning. Furthermore, it provides a unique opportunity for partner distributors to achieve HS35iQ Champion status. This status lets them offer our products at reduced prices and positions them at the forefront of digital transformation. The program is designed to enhance our partners’ understanding of our products and strengthen their sales skills, giving them a competitive advantage in the market.

Now, our focus is on creating remote learning experiences that are just as effective as in-person formats. We aim to ensure that all participants, regardless of their location or circumstances, have equal access to high-quality training resources.

Expansion into vocational support

Those interfacing daily with automated machinery must know how to operate it. Other modes of understanding are required for those who service or sell parts to be integrated into such equipment. Personnel in such roles rely on vocational training.

Rebounding enrollment and debates about higher education in North America haven’t entirely quelled persisting stigmas associated with trades-type work, even in automation. But demand for skilled tradespeople in the U.S. remains high in new manufacturing, automation, infrastructure, energy, and distribution operations. New training programs are key to preparing workforces for digitally transformed engineering and manufacturing operations.

Describe your certification or upskilling programs to educate engineers and other personnel — including technicians, distributor sales representatives, and endusers.

Griffith: Schaeffler offers a suite of learning programs through our in-house Schaeffler Academy. We recognize industry trends and are focusing on the future business needs through our Fit4… learning series, which includes Fit4Mechatronics (providing technical skills for our engineers as we shift to boosted electrical production), Fit4Production (providing a strong foundation for non-degreed personnel to enhance technical skills), and Fit4Digitalization (providing digital skills for increasingly innovative business).

During COVID, we used a combination of iPads, Go-Pros, and security monitoring devices inside machines to let employees (as part of their technical development) learn processes and troubleshoot directly from a computer (instead of on the shop floor). This significantly lowered the risk of infection. Although the systems and tools created during the pandemic have proved invaluable, we’re now transitioning to standard blended learning components.

Blanchard: Kollmorgen creates learning programs leveraging cognitive neuroscience — a combination of psychology and neuroscience. For more than 15 years, we’ve offered an online channel-engagement program providing short monthly touchpoints based on job function for sales and application engineers. Using monthly touchpoints keeps Kollmorgen technology, processes, and thought leadership on a cadence that prevents learning degradation.

In addition, our hybrid and instructor-led courses use online modules to prepare students for precious instructor time so they can focus on hands-on instruction, practice, and troubleshooting. With online modules already in place, we were well positioned as COVID struck and quickly implemented an online seminar program addressing many learners — including endusers, our distribution channel, and our employees. Post-COVID, we continue to expand our mix of online offerings while utilizing valuable in-person sessions to their fullest interactive experience.

Graham: Our team has a comprehensive training program for OEMs, distributors, and endusers. Through training, we help individuals develop expertise in the installation, connection, implementation, networking, calibration, maintenance, and servicing of HEIDENHAIN components and automated systems. Our courses cover setup and optimization, software adaptation through PLC and Python programming, and diagnostic and servicing. More information is available at heidenhain.us.

Sachdev: To help our endusers, OEMs, and integrators, Cognex recently launched a new Getting Started website that provides step-by-step training videos and FAQs as well as connection help for external systems and additional software utilities. We’re committed to making machine vision easy, and this site is part of that commitment.

For more complex deployments, we offer even more education and support to ensure long-term success. For sophisticated logistics environments, for example, we provide support packages that include analytics and data to optimize overall system performance as well as training and coaching for operators and maintenance staff — plus dedicated setup help to get new systems up and running.

Any continuing-education offerings?

Korkowski: LinMot provides in-person training at our facility several times a year. We’re also exploring e-learning. Our product representatives are technically knowledgeable on all our products and given continuous learning; regular sessions are conducted to keep representatives updated on new products and improvements. Special training is available to endusers on an as-needed basis.

Rodriguez: Industry is in constant evolution, embracing new technologies for increased efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. This has been true since the early days when the first human used a stick plow to more effectively cultivate land. For nearly a century, Festo has been at the forefront of driving industrial progress. However, the rapid pace of change poses challenges in keeping up with advancements. Our industrial endusers emphasize the need for qualified workers to leverage our technologies and maintain competitiveness in the global economy. Festo and Festo Didactic (our education and training division) are committed to identifying gaps and employing our training solutions to cultivate an agile and flexible workforce.

Conducting comprehensive diagnostic assessments of factory-training needs lets us tailor our approach to specific requirements. We also specialize in pre and post-employment skills assessments to provide valuable insights for comprehensive workforce development.

Utilizing a blended learning model, our training services are customized and implemented through various modalities, including e-learning, instructor-led sessions, hands-on activities, and virtual experiences. Our tailored training programs and on-site courses prioritize hands-on lab instruction, constituting a significant 60% to 70% of the learning experience. This focus on hands-on practice enhances retention and overall performance.

The online portal of Festo Learning Experience (Festo LX) offers a holistic approach to technical education and training with a wealth of professionally developed learning content coupled with relevant practical applications. Its innovative blend of e-learning courses and hands-on exercises ensures that students are well-prepared for today’s demands and those of future high-tech industries. Our instructors bring industry-specific expertise and experience to the table, aiding in the cultivation of a multi-skilled workforce capable of adapting to dynamic business changes.

Finally, we advocate for a lifelong learning approach, encapsulated in the concept of K-to-Gray. This involves STEM programs for early learners, integrating science and technology into every young person’s experience. Collaborating with technical colleges and secondary schools to create pathways aligned with industry needs, coupled with an industrial community offering advice, mentorship, and support at all education levels, completes the holistic solution.

Any industries experiencing a pressing need for upskilled workers?

Rodriguez: Intralogistics with respect to material handling, warehouse management, and automation technology is one of Festo’s focus sectors. We see several trends shaping data digitalization in warehousing. The skills gap and labor shortage in this sector grows every time a new warehouse pops up in a neighborhood.

Warehouses today are highly automated but require a great deal of support to install, operate, program, and maintain. Automation technologies such as robotics, AI, and IoT devices are increasingly integrated into these operations. These technologies not only streamline processes but also generate vast amounts of data, offering insights into inventory movement, picking patterns, and operational efficiency.

IoT devices and sensors are used extensively to track and monitor inventory in realtime. They provide data on factors such as temperature, humidity, location, and condition of goods, enabling better inventory management and predictive maintenance. That said, once a problem occurs, it needs to be corrected and repaired by a human. Warehouse operations are adopting digital twin technology, creating virtual replicas of physical warehouses. This allows for simulation, testing, and optimization of processes before implementation, reducing risks and enhancing efficiency and the Festo learning platforms integrate and develop skills in these technologies. In addition, with increased digitalization comes the need for robust cybersecurity measures, so we cover that in our training programs as well.

These trends in data digitalization are transforming traditional warehousing practices, making operations more efficient, and agile — and starved for the human talent to make them work.

Community connections to foster technical proficiency

An array of companies has expanded North American vocational training in recent years — especially to support advanced manufacturing operations. These companies include many of the automation suppliers Design World surveyed as well as Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, FANUC America, and Eaton. Many of these programs were modeled after European programs or developed in partnership with local community colleges serving students from communities that are underrepresented in automation and manufacturing. In a few cases, Biden-Harris Administration investments in workforce development (through Perkins funding) have expanded this type of career-connected learning to bridge the divide between K-though-12 school systems and industry internships.

How are you supporting education at the local level and addressing labor shortages?

Korkowski: We’re partnered with several local high schools and universities to expose young people to the benefits of industrial automation.

Varley: At Mitsubishi Electric Automation, we have an entire group dedicated to workforce development. We’re involved with program throughout the country ranging from high schools to trade schools to four-year colleges and universities. All our product groups contribute to this effort to deliver both hardware components and classroom materials. We see this trend continuing and expanding in the years to come.

Griffith: We internally and externally develop our workforce by participating in school STEM programs to engage students with our company and industry at an early age. That has the potential to increase our pipeline of people capability. Early-career development opportunities include apprenticeships, co-ops, and engineering-focused development programs. The pandemic forced the general training industry to be more virtually inclusive, which has rendered Schaeffler’s training opportunities more accessible — thereby enhancing the speed and pace of delivery to put the content in the hands of the users through live online trainings at all locations in the region (instead of just local course offerings).

Rodriguez: For starters, the only way to address our labor shortages and the skills gap is through training. The notion that technology offers new solutions to address persistent skills gaps across industries is not new, and Festo has been keeping pace with this evolution throughout its history.

Festo quickly began to automate its woodworking machine tools shortly after one of our founder’s sons returned from the 1933 Chicago World Fair, billed as the Century of Progress International Exposition. The new technology in question was pneumatics and the idea was to automate machine tools Festo was building. Soon it became apparent that both our users and machine designers needed to be trained on the new technology. Festo Didactic was born to implement automation being used to fill labor gaps, assume repetitive tasks, increase efficiency, and reduce human labor in some roles.

Since then, it’s been a constant evolution of adapting to the changing technological panorama, using the tools of the day to do it. Today, part-time remote-learning options let trainees gain theoretical knowledge before attending a hands-on session. With such offerings, we’ve accessed a worker that may have been unable to attend a full-time training program. These options let companies and schools tap into a wider pool of talent beyond local geographical boundaries.

Festo is also leading the training field in integrating cobots that work alongside humans, assisting in tasks that require human dexterity or decision-making. This is just another tool to increase productivity and overcome labor shortages.

Griffith: Because manufacturing is an ever-changing industry with new technologies and modernization occurring daily, Schaeffler cannot be successful without a culture of continuous learning. Our plants’ onsite technical trainers are responsible for partnering with our in-house subject matter experts on new trends, updating an on-the-job and qualification database to track skill enhancement, and ensuring compliance. All of this starts with creating partnerships with community workforce boards and educational institutions, so that we can ensure that the material being taught in schools matches the current and future needs of our business. Doing so improves onboarding speed for technical roles and allows Schaeffler to be an industry leader.

Any local or regional education programs you particularly admire?

Rodriguez: Answering this question is difficult because there are many creative and unique approaches to the problem. What I find most admirable is genuine collaboration across the various education levels, spanning from primary to secondary schools, colleges, and the industrial and commercial communities they serve. School districts are now incorporating STEM and technical-vocational programs, establishing pathways to both employment and further education.

The traditional emphasis on a four-year degree as a prerequisite for a successful and economically viable future is, in my opinion, gradually diminishing. Instead, there’s a growing recognition of education as a continuous series of steps throughout a worker’s life. This perspective is gaining traction, with an increasing focus on practical, lifelong learning.

It all begins, however, with a strong academic foundation and the development of collaborative problem-solving skills. As we see these shifts in education and the acknowledgment of diverse paths to success, a more dynamic and adaptable approach to learning is taking root.

AR, VR, and metaverse training tools

Once relegated to novelty video-game applications, virtual reality (VR) is seeing modest adoption for immersive technical training, especially where personnel must be trained to interface with manufacturing environments or very large and complex designs. Likewise, the digital overlays of augmented reality (AR) are now seeing more use to help trainees navigate physical environments during hands-on training, especially where it’s important that personnel feel comfortable with a particular setting.

Sometimes these tools are complemented by modules featuring learning management systems (that tailor modules to individual learning needs) and gamification (that feature special challenges, badges, and leaderboards to make learning more fun).

The virtual models (digital twins) of physical machinery and processes spurred by digital-transformation initiatives have also found use in training programs — especially those for maintenance personnel. Such use of digital twins is most useful where (for whatever reason) it’s difficult or dangerous to let trainees interface with actual equipment.

Are VR, AR, and the metaverse becoming more applicable to technical training?

Leath: VR and AR are currently used in many industries for training. I could see more application training or maintenance instructions being done with VR or AR for the robotics space — to let users learn and experience a task before actually doing it on live equipment. Also, as more humanoid robots appear in the marketplace, I expect many will be driven by real humans remotely steering such robots via VR gear.

Rodriguez: Festo actively uses the metaverse as a virtual shared space that includes technologies such as VR, AR, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the internet. These technologies stopped being science fiction long ago, and we’ve been using them in training as technologies advance.

In fact, Cloud Technology is a key element of our Industry 4.0 training. Augmented-reality links in our hardware let trainees see the inside of a valve or a motor — things that otherwise would’ve been impossible.

Festo software, including Ciros and FluidSim, empower users to craft and contribute content to the metaverse — to shape the environment and experiences for both themselves and others. With the metaverse, Festo can offer a diverse range of applications for training, certification, and upskilling across fields such as mechatronics, electric power, renewable energy, biopharma, and telecommunications with the added benefit of reaching distant populations with our training materials.

Beside VR training simulations, Festo can enhance technical skills development such as programming, engineering, and other fields that benefit from metaverse platforms … for example, offering coding environments or 3D modeling tools that let learners practice and experiment in a virtual space.

Certification programs for trade skills and vocational training that use online courses leveraging the metaverse (to simulate real-world environments, tools, and scenarios) offer engaging and interactive learning experiences. These enhance the other hardware and lab-based programs for which we’re known.

Finally, AR applications overlay digital information onto our real-world programs. That makes tasks such as maintenance training (where instructions or guidance can be displayed onto real equipment) more effective.

These uses demonstrate how the metaverse can revolutionize traditional training methods by providing immersive, interactive, and adaptable learning experiences.

Griffith: While the metaverse certainly provides opportunities to enhance the learning experience using simulations and avatars, Schaeffler has not yet made investments in the equipment to scale these programs. Given the fact that large percentages of our workforce are shop-floor employees, we tend to lean toward traditional e-learning (sometimes gamified) to help us set standards and build consistency. In the wake of COVID, we have found that our employees are craving face-to-face interaction and learning from classroom or on-the-job enhancements. This is not to say that AR and VR tools are not in use; we have welding simulators, forklift driving courses, and even customized machine learning in some of our facilities.

Werler: We employ digital learning and training supported by AR and VR to create human-centric workplace designs and pretest assembly stations. In addition, these technologies support maintenance and repair job functions … and make workflows partly automated by supplying timely information to personnel — thus adding value at the right place and time.

Halstead: VR can be used to speed up product design. After all, these tools can help individual designers visualize systems and (more importantly) share their vision with their team to greatly improve end results.

B. Burke: I expect to see continued adoption of AR and VR to streamline production for a more flexible workforce — and to make production instructions more robust.

Dengel: AR and VR can be tools used to teach assembly personnel or maintenance personnel how products work, thereby reducing the time needed for training and troubleshooting.

Leath: More and more lead-to-teach intuitive technologies have been hitting the market to appeal to skilled workforces and younger generations. For example, the Wandelbots wand helps users mimic application motions — so for example, the operator holds the wand and goes through the motions of welding a part. The release of the wand was followed by an intuitive software package that feels more like a slick iPad application than a programming interface.

Rodriguez: Collaboration tools facilitate seamless communication and teamwork among remote workers, allowing companies to access skilled professionals who might not be locally available. AR and VR technologies can enhance training processes, allowing employees to learn new skills or procedures in a simulated environment. This can expedite the onboarding process and make training more accessible and effective.

How have you seen increased use of human-centric design over the last year?

Caldwell: Human-centric design is paramount to Yaskawa because ease of use is important to robotic expansion for all user levels. Many of the tools we’ve developed are meant to ease the installation and use of robotics. One area in which we’re continually experimenting is AR adoption for our manuals and maintenance offerings. Here, QR codes in documentation and on hardware can (when scanned) load AR-based assistance on an as-needed basis.

Werler: Yes, Festo first used its Bionic Learning Network (to study exoskeletons, soft grippers, self-adjusting workplaces, and more) a decade ago. Employing such software along with agile processes and minimum viable product concepts helps us review customer needs and continuously develop to deliver human-centric designs. Our Smartenance maintenance software is a perfect example here … and it was developed in partnership with production staff. Another example is the GripperAI. This design leverages neuronal-network-based DL software that lets cobots and robots detect and grip any unknown object — even when changing robot tools — to support (or collaborate with) workers in logistics settings.

Design World | designworldonline.com/trends

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Filed Under: Engineering Diversity & Inclusion, Student programs • Technical education, Trends
Tagged With: festo, Mitsubishi, Schaeffler, khk
 

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