The manufacturing industry is facing a challenging situation. The adoption of automation by 50% of manufacturers seems like good news. However, with the upcoming retirement of Baby Boomers and the current skills shortage, around 2.4 million job vacancies could remain unfilled by 2028. What’s the cost to the economy? Tremendous.
5 Training Challenges in Manufacturing That an LMS Can Help Overcome.
The need to quickly fill the skills gap is one of the most urgent training challenges in manufacturing. However, it is not the only one on the list. Let’s examine these challenges one by one and see how an LMS can help address them and safeguard the future of the company.
1. The skills gap is significant.
The manufacturing workplace is no longer what it used to be. Automation and computer-controlled machinery play a significant role in the manufacturing process, often replacing manual labor. There is a tremendous need for versatile workers with technological knowledge who can perform multiple tasks and troubleshoot with minimal supervision. Essentially, we are facing a completely new type of worker.
Training and development in the manufacturing industry must shift their focus toward technology sector skills. And that’s not enough; personality traits such as critical thinking, initiative, and independence are also highly sought after.
The problem is that advanced and highly specialized skills like programming or automation cannot be taught from scratch. Nevertheless, anyone familiar with computer technologies can learn to operate automated equipment and work with computerized systems.
Using an LMS for manufacturing training will help set up new courses quickly and smoothly. Moreover, what better way to enhance digital skills than by learning in an online environment?
LMS platforms also allow for the creation of excellent content for soft skills training. Take critical thinking skills, for example. With an LMS, you can create branching scenarios where your employees are called upon to make certain decisions and safely experience the outcomes. Over time, they will feel confident enough to take the initiative and respond to emergencies on their own.
2. Training in manufacturing can be chaotic.
Training in the manufacturing sector is not limited to workers and vocational training; it also extends to other departments and takes various forms. Interrupting work to attend training can disrupt the daily flow, leading to lower performance.
On top of that, manufacturing companies often operate across multiple sites, cities, and, in some cases, countries. Organizing and coordinating various training courses can be incredibly costly and time-consuming.
What’s even more concerning is the uncertainty that all employees have received the same quality of training.
Online courses do not require special facilities or fixed training schedules, making it possible to address one of the main training challenges in manufacturing: time and location.
An LMS can also host an unlimited number of courses for all different types of skills and tasks. Even if you want to teach a hands-on skill like machine operation, online training can be incorporated. You can start the training with introductory videos and simulations to ease workers into the subject before moving on to practical sessions.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of an LMS for manufacturing training is that it streamlines your training efforts. An LMS like BLMS not only provides the same learning material for everyone but also sends notifications about course updates or expired certifications. This way, you can ensure that all employees are trained to the same standards and are aware of the latest regulations and work procedures.
3. The need to retain new talent is essential.
The skills shortage has led to many manufacturing jobs remaining open for extended periods, which is especially true for demanding roles (in terms of skills), such as skilled production or operations management.
The need to retain skilled employees who join the industry is growing. This makes onboarding one of the increasing challenges in training and development within manufacturing.
Training new manufacturing workers is non-negotiable. A positive onboarding experience helps them adapt more quickly and reduces turnover.
Enter the LMS. Any course created in an LMS is reusable and easy to update. In this regard, using an LMS to implement online, in-person, or blended onboarding training has a dual benefit. On one hand, it minimizes unnecessary costs, and on the other, it saves the hassle of going through the onboarding process repeatedly.
Moreover, an LMS offers learning delivery methods that help employees retain new information more quickly. Microlearning, in particular, is a secret weapon when it comes to onboarding. It provides essential information, carefully organized into small chunks. Whether it’s a brief welcome video, an infographic outlining basic anti-harassment policies, or a mini-quiz to recap key points, the options are plentiful.
4. Regulations are constantly changing (but they are essential!).
Undoubtedly, regulatory compliance is among the top training challenges in manufacturing today. Health and safety procedures, environmental laws, and general regulations are updated all too frequently. As a result, a significant portion of training in the manufacturing industry revolves around them.
There are two main issues related to compliance training. First, it often involves complex concepts or procedures, making it not only difficult to follow but also poorly received.
Additionally, the implications of non-compliance are severe and potentially dangerous. This is why instructors and plant managers must ensure they verify the effectiveness and status of compliance training.
A flexible LMS helps stay on top of regulatory training/certification. For starters, it allows you to see at a glance which employees have successfully completed their courses and which have not.
The LMS automatically reassigns courses for certifications that have reached their expiration date. That takes a significant responsibility off your hands.
Moreover, it offers various types of learning content that make compliance training more engaging and maximize its effectiveness. eLearning simulations, for example, are an excellent way to demonstrate workplace safety procedures. Manufacturing workers practice in what feels like real-life circumstances. So, when an emergency occurs, they are more likely to remember the steps to take and handle the situation effectively.
5. Training in manufacturing is expensive.
Instructor fees, travel, venue, accommodation expenses: cost is one of the biggest challenges faced in training and developing manufacturing employees. Add to that the scope that training can take for larger companies, and it’s safe to say that costs skyrocket.
On-site training also requires a lot of time, especially when conducted across different facilities. It takes hours or even days away from your employees’ workday. This slows down production and places more responsibilities on the workers who remain on the job. And we know that loss of productivity equals loss of profits.
Shifting some of your manufacturing training to online training with an affordable LMS like BLMS helps reduce costs. Additionally, you can update and reuse your training course as many times as needed.
An LMS also offers learners incredible flexibility regarding when and how they will access the course. For instance, they can spend time at work during busy periods and complete their training from home or during less hectic times. In any case, we can be sure that training won’t impact production time.
Conclusion
There are many training challenges in manufacturing, and the skills shortage adds to the pressure to overcome them quickly. However, with the help of an LMS, it is possible to create a highly skilled workforce that keeps pace with the demands of the new manufacturing workplace.
