Even in these turbulent and uncertain times, we are seeing a rise in the numbers of roles which are related to production IT infrastructure across all business sectors and demand has not slowed, in spite of the Coronavirus pandemic.
IoT and 4IR are continuing to change how manufacturers monitor and continually improve supply and production times and with increased expectation from customers, businesses are having to consider the infrastructure and skills required to manage increasingly more complex data networks. It’s no longer just a fixed closed control system on a production line, peripheral appliances such as printers, coding machines, 3D Printers, PDAs, mobile technology and CAD products need to be integrated into data network systems, cloud domains and IT managed services.
GET SMART…
Smart factories are definitely the future, but without robust infrastructure and systems architecture, gaining the efficiencies that technology can offer will be impeded. With many companies striving to achieve this, there is a real and urgent need to find people with practical knowledge and experience of digitised or controlled product and material flow.
This is driving demand for infrastructure analysts, solutions architects (infrastructure), IT Engineers with IoT or fast transfer data experience, IT support engineers, 3D printer specialists, Server engineers, Amazon Web Services Training (AWS) among others and there are, at present, not enough skills to go around.
GET HELP…
Businesses therefore need to be creative in how they identify the skills they need, accessing help where it is available. A good example of initiatives that are designed to help manufacturers with this evolution, is the Future of British Manufacturing Initiative (FoBMI), led by engineering design software specialists Autodesk, who are bringing a hands-on approach to helping UK design and manufacturing SMEs break through theory and embrace the digital technologies encompassed within the Internet of Things (IoT). You can find out more about FoBMI here.
It’s also really important for businesses to think laterally when trying to access the skills they need, looking at other industries or sectors with complex and established IT infrastructures, for high calibre individuals who have transferable skills and may bring an entirely new perspective.
GET CREATIVE…
Another area where we are seeing this transferability of skills is in production and warehousing automation, where increasingly Java based languages and protocols are being adopted. Java can be used to automate websites, ERP systems, SAP, and material flow processes for example, but experienced Java Automation Engineers are very rare.
We are working with clients who need these skills but have only been considering candidates with directly relevant sector experience, which they consider a prerequisite for success. Our team has successfully worked with these clients to demonstrate that excellent Java developers who have worked on end-to-end software solutions and products for alternative sectors can offer transferable skills and a fresh approach to manufacturing systems development and integration.
We can support clients and developers to understand where transferability of skills can exist, and our marketplace knowledge enables us to find the best skills and technical solutions for our clients.
Get in touch to find out more – 01384 397555
Share this blog post
