Blog Post

For the first time in modern manufacturing history, manufacturing is on a halt globally. Demand, supply, and workforce, all the aspects of the industry have been hit hard. And there’s no clarity  when the industry will go back to its normal state.

With social distancing, masks, and other healthcare measures in place, a lot of manufacturing processes will undergo a substantial transformation in how they operate.

Manufacturing industry would thrive in a new normal which would be driven by a bunch of new trends. Defining the future of the industry and its workers, these trends will change the course of the industry once the pandemic waves us goodbye.

Trend 1: Expansion of Local Manufacturing Market

CoVID-19 has put a stop on the global supply chain industry. Severely hitting a lot of businesses and economies in its course. CoVID-19 has made it clear that self-reliance is the only resort when the pandemic is global.

For instance, after bearing the brunt of depending upon global manufacturers for PPE and other medical equipments, many hospitals approached local vendors for support. Local market immediately came to the rescue. It gave quick access to the right tools and kits and immediately mitigated the possibility of any potential casualties.

How Will it Impact Manufacturing Hiring?

Countries will now proactively push local vendors to take charge and open new manufacturing facilities. This will result in a volume of new hiring opportunities from laborers to mid-level employees and individual business owners to SMEs. Consequently, wide range of business opportunities will start to surface leading to a sudden ramping up of hiring and other opportunities.

Trend 2: Rapid Adoption of Digitization and Technology

Research has shown that digitally mature companies have greater resilience. Last few months have been a testament to this finding showing digitization as the sole driver of business continuity. According to Deloitte’s industrial manufacturing practice leaders survey, if manufacturers don’t embrace digitization, as many as 35 percent of today’s industrial companies could be out of business in 10 years.

Unlike other industries, the manufacturing industry could not take complete rescue of tech and go virtual. This roadblock has given rise to the importance of devising a comprehensive digital strategy that can in the future prevent the industry from a sudden halt.  Adhoc and sporadic implementation of tech will be evaluated to develop a complete digital strategy as mentioned in the below image.

How Will it Impact Manufacturing Hiring?

Demand for tech talent in the manufacturing industry will expedite. Companies will start seeking tech architects and data scientists to help transition their data to the cloud. Also, automation would be on the rise. Therefore,  skilled workers with tech aptitude and agility would be preferred who can adapt to the working environment lead by digital strategies.

Trend 3: Upskilling and Reskilling of Manufacturing Workers

Reskilling and upskilling were a prime trend in the pre-CoVID times as well. But the emergence of CoVID has accelerated this trend beyond expectations. Companies are reinventing their current methods and inculcating new forms of technology to keep up with the disruptions. Upgradation of manual machines to an advanced computerized machine has gained pace. Judicious storage and analysis of surplus manufacturing data is the new trend.

As a result, the smart manufacturing market would grow from USD 181.3 billion in 2020 to USD 220.4 billion by 2025.  This market includes smart manufacturing tools and digital twins of manual operating processes.

How Will it Impact Manufacturing Hiring?

Upskilling and reskilling would be the only way to survive in the post-CoVID manufacturing market.

As dependence on technology proliferates, companies would demand workers to become adaptive to the new trends and methods. Reskilling would be priority. Seasoned workers would be pushed to get their hands on the upgraded manufacturing infrastructure.

Manufacturers would also expand their product lines as the dependence on local manufacturing increases. As a result, workers would have to upgrade their skills to adjust to the expanding needs of the industry.

Read More: Questions You Must Ask to Reduce Attrition of Blue Collar Workers 

Trend 4: New Consumer Buying Behaviors

CoVID-19 has fuelled a series of changes in the consumer pattern. And as consumers continue to mindfully spend their money, these changes will continue post-pandemic as well.

Health and food manufacturing industry will boom as the focus shifts to a healthy lifestyle and immunity building. Manufacturers would optimize product prices and innovate quality products to put money and value in the consumer’s hands. Even if consumers spend less, quality would remain paramount in their buying decisions.

How Will it Impact Manufacturing Hiring?

As consumers become aware, the manufacturing industry would be compelled to hire research analysts and quality supervisors to ensure quality resources are out there in the market. As customers switch to digital platforms for purchasing, a lot of businesses would have to add a few processes in their supply chains to meet these needs. Apart from manufacturing products,  manufacturers would have to become cognizant of packaging and doorstep delivery processes as well. This will increase the demand for on-the-ground workers like packaging and delivery boys.

Additionally, manufacturers will also expand their product line to cater to the local market demand of consumers.  For instance, Ford associated with GE Healthcare as part to quickly simplify the ventilator design and produce 50,000 ventilators in only 100 days. Luxury goods maker LVMH switched from making perfumes to hand sanitizers in only 72 hours.

These are just a few examples driven out of necessities but as the manufacturing settles down, the capabilities of the industry would expand resulting in a lot of manufacturing hiring.

Are you searching for talents who can keep up with these manufacturing trends? Let us assist you. Infojini is a staffing firm with years of recruiting experience and a diverse talent pool.