Bridgeable Gaps: Training & Education

Skills Gap Fix, Part 8: Bridgeable Gaps: Training / Education

Once the technology gap is bridged and the plant processes are optimized as Martin recommends in the previous blog, the easy part is training new operators, retraining existing operators, and planning ahead for future generation of engineers and operators.

Although the educational gaps are quite huge between the Greatest Generation and Gen Y, they can be bridged. The Greatest Gen grew up with a great sense of nationalism, a focus on local community, and an appreciation for hard work. Gen Y grew up in a world economy and Internet age. The Greatest Gen learned from books, family, and communal history. Especially in the 1960s, public schools changed dramatically and affect the skills Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Gen Yers take with us to the plant site today.

However, we can bridge educational gaps in our universities, colleges, technical schools, and other programs to help to bridge the skills and experience gap in industrial automation.

Some Skills Gap Solutions include:

• Engineering Recruiting
• Mentoring
• Education/Training
• Use of Simulation for Training
• Requirements for Operator Training Management

Recruiting and Mentoring

• Apprenticeships
• Co-opt Programs

Placement of Value on Mentoring

• Designating Time
• Mentor Assignments
• Scholarships

Changing Approach to Education and Training

• University Majors / Programs
• Online Training, E-Learning
• Vendor Training
• On site
• Classroom

Operator Training Manager

• Tool to develop structured operator training systems
• User-configurable scenarios, malfunctions, training events
• Integrated session scoring and student evaluation

• Including Simulation as part of entire lifecycle
• Training as part of entire lifecycle
• Training operators before startup of new units
• Re-training and qualifying operators on existing operations