Manufacture Smarter Blog

11/15/2019 - BY: MIGUEL GOMEZ
It's no secret that the manufacturing industry is facing a hiring crisis. If leaders have any hope of filling their talent gaps long-term, they must work to align their company values with those of younger generations.

7/26/2019 - BY: DAVE NELSON
How many times during your career have you found yourself feeling stuck in a rut? When this happens, there are two ways to respond: wait for things around you to change or proactively make changes yourself.

7/12/2019 - BY: BOB JENKINS
Today, virtually all young people interested in engineering programs are proficient in drawing and creating 3D models that make a computer screen come alive with visuals. Painfully, however, many high schools no longer provide the option of taking a drafting class, which forms the basis of all CAD drawings. Despite the lack of attention in schools, learning skills in blueprint reading and drafting should not be overlooked by those who work in manufacturing.

6/21/2019 - BY: DEB JOSEPH
The ongoing skilled trades employee shortage is causing many manufacturers to hire from outside of the industry, bringing in people without manufacturing skills or backgrounds. However, due to the unique nature of the manufacturing industry, this lack of experience and knowledge brings many challenges for the incoming workforce. To ease workers' transitions into a manufacturing environment, a strong training program is essential.

4/5/2019 - BY: KARA KUCINSKI
A massive talent shortage is posing a great challenge for manufacturers as they seek to hire workers with the experience and technical knowledge needed to fill open positions in their facilities. But now, a lack of soft skills, or interpersonal skills, among candidates is making it even more difficult to find the kind of worker that will help their companies succeed in the long run.

3/8/2019 - BY: CHARLIE WESTRA
Supervisors are constantly in pursuit of finding the perfect recipe to motivate problem people. Whether it’s a stereotypical millennial or an old-timer who is stuck in their ways, the question is the same: How do I get someone – anyone – to follow and execute my direction? It’s one of the most important and difficult questions for leaders to answer.

1/4/2019 - THE CENTER
If manufacturers were to look back five or 10 years, most manufacturers would realize their companies have changed so tremendously, that they are unrecognizable compared to how they once were. These transformations in processes, products, staffing and innovations have altered how their businesses appear and operate. This begs the question, what will manufacturing look like in 2019?

12/7/2018 - BY: DEB JOSEPH
Here’s the good news: the unemployment level in the United States has reached a nearly 50-year low. The bad news is, there are now more job openings than there are skilled people to fill them. Nearly every manufacturer I speak with is feeling the impact of this nationwide talent shortage.

11/16/2018 - BY: KATRINA GLOWZINSKI
When our management team learned that the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center made the list of the Detroit Free Press 2018 Top Workplaces, we were very proud. Then we were humbled. This award not only identified our company’s strengths, but it gave us areas for improvement, based on feedback directly from our staff about what they see as important.

10/26/2018 - BY: MIKE BEELS
Although many don’t realize it, one of the most valuable assets a company can have is its personnel. The staff can make or break a business based on their level of commitment, motivation and interest in their work. While engaging employees already is a complicated skill to master, incoming generations of workers are bringing with them new expectations and desires for the workplace, making it even more difficult to keep all employees engaged.