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Industry 4.0? How About Labor 4.0?Industry 4.0? How About Labor 4.0?

The manufacturing landscape is changing, but the workforce is not keeping pace.

Norbert Sparrow

February 2, 2025

3 Min Read
Industry 4.0 concept
metamorworks/iStock via Getty Images

The skilled labor shortage in the manufacturing sector is only getting worse. Recruitment professional Paul Sturgeon put it in stark terms in a recent column in PlasticsToday: “Consider that the baby boomers added 25 million workers to the labor force over the 10-year period of the 1970s. Contrast that with the six to seven million expected to be added over the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” So, what do we do? For Anthony Turgman, Labor 4.0 is part of the answer.

The human factor

Turgman’s consultancy, Live Solutions, helps companies of all sizes shift to advanced manufacturing, including Industry 4.0 frameworks, that drive productivity improvements. Industry 4.0 is all about sensors, data-based decision-making, and automation. The human factor is not always part of that equation, and that is what Turgman will speak to during a session titled, Labor 4.0: Rebuilding Today’s Workforce for Tomorrow’s Manufacturing, on Feb. 5 at MD&M West in Anaheim, CA. He spoke with PlasticsToday recently to share his thoughts ahead of the event.

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“The statistics show that there's going to be a substantial shortage of skilled labor over the next five to 10 years,” said Turgman. “It’s partly caused by attrition — we have an aging workforce — and partly by a workforce that isn't set up to adapt to these newer technologies. So, the shortfall is really being pushed by Industry 4.0, which has everyone excited. We are changing the landscape and infrastructure of manufacturing as we know it, but what about the workforce? How are we addressing that gap in skilled labor?” asks Turgman. “And how should we be addressing it?” He has a few ideas.

Related:Talent Talk: Impressive Factory Activity Expansion Numbers Get Short Shrift in Media

Pairing technology with labor

While Industry 4.0 and automation will reduce the number of workers needed to perform certain tasks, they will not eliminate the need for humans in the manufacturing environment. The challenge, according to Turgman, is taking the talent that exists within the manufacturing ecosystem and upskilling that workforce such that it is able to be productive in an Industry 4.0 environment. “Manufacturers are more sensitive now to the fact that labor is scarce and recognize the need for a pipeline. There is an existing population out there that can help to fill it,” said Turgman. “We just have to figure out how to pair the technology with the labor.”

Large companies have the resources to achieve that by upskilling their workforce — and many of them, such as GE and Amazon, are doing just that, said Turgman — but partnerships that bring together manufacturers, educational establishments, and government bodies can put similar resources within the reach of small to mid-size businesses. Engagement with community colleges and trade schools as well as local government represents a unique opportunity for manufacturers to adapt to a changing landscape and develop a pipeline of skilled workers. These and other avenues of adaptation will be discussed by Turgman at the MD&M session, part of the Design.Engineer.Build conference series.

Related:Talent Talk: US Manufacturing Is Turning the Corner

“In Labor 4.0, we’re not talking about technology pushing workers out the door — we're talking about how we transform the system,” said Turgman. “If your company is thinking about transforming your people for the better for the future, this session is definitely for you.”

MD&M West comes to the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA, from Feb. 4 to 6, 2025. Go to the event website to register to attend and for complete conference information.

About the Author

Norbert Sparrow

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

www.linkedin.com/in/norbertsparrow

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