Maintaining a skilled team from the bottom up is essential. But as skilled workers retire and take their knowledge with them, we rely more on a clear understanding of how digital and AI tools may be reshaping our approach to manufacturing quality, supply chains, and building a team. To provide some insight into how modern manufacturers are tackling the challenges of managing, hiring, training, and producing, Steve Ilmrud, vice president of operations at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, answered some questions.

Quality Digest: What do you see as the primary obstacles right now for manufacturing, and how do these differ for people who are managing teams vs. those who are on the shop floor? Conversely, where is the overlap?

Steve Ilmrud: One of the primary obstacles is the reshaping of job responsibilities due to AI adoption on factory floors. We’re seeing a major shift toward hybrid roles that merge technical expertise with data literacy and automation oversight.

This shift looks different for different roles. For managers, the challenge is understanding and effectively using the data generated from shop-floor operations. This information is critical for decision-making, performance optimization, and workforce development.

Shop-floor employees face a different, but related, challenge: learning how to work with AI-enabled systems. They must ensure data are captured accurately and understand how to leverage these tools to improve efficiency.

The overlap? Both groups need to prioritize AI literacy to navigate changing job responsibilities and sustain long-term competitiveness.

QD: How do we address the concerns for managers who are seeing a dip in available, trained professionals?

SI: Manufacturers need to adapt to workforce realities through strategic digitalization. As experienced workers retire, the pool of trained professionals continues to shrink.

The solution is implementing technology that captures and preserves legacy knowledge before it walks out the door. AI can transcribe this expertise and transform it into actionable instructions that help younger workers upskill themselves more rapidly. This approach bridges the experience gap while building the next generation’s capabilities.

QD: What role, if any, do you think AI and automated processes are going to play in creating solutions for the challenges we’re currently facing?

SI: AI and automation are essential for upskilling and training at scale. The industry is evolving faster than traditional training methods can keep pace, and we desperately need solutions for preserving legacy knowledge while accelerating worker development.

The workers best positioned for long-term stability and wage growth will be those who combine AI and automation with traditional craftsmanship and technical skills in areas like robotics, analytics, and automation systems.

QD: What can manufacturers do to combat supply chain issues related to tariffs and other policy-dependent matters that are, for the most part, out of industry professionals’ control?

SI: While manufacturers can’t control tariffs or trade policy, they can control their response. Despite these external pressures, we’re seeing that forward-thinking customers continue investing in modernization and workforce reskilling. The companies taking these steps now will be positioned to lead the recovery later.

The key is building a digitally capable workforce that can adapt to rapid changes. When external variables constantly shift the operational landscape, agility becomes a competitive advantage. Manufacturers who invest in workforce adaptability today are building resilience against tomorrow’s disruptions.

QD: How do we ensure that the technology available to manufacturers is maintained and replaced in a timely manner?

SI: Providing equipment is only half the battle. Ongoing maintenance that preserves machine performance and keeps software current is what will extend technology’s value beyond initial deployment.

These services work best when delivered locally. A regional team of trained service technicians is key to creating a customer relationship that allows manufacturers to reach out the moment a repair or update is needed, rather than delaying until problems compound.

QD: How has reshoring shaped or changed the way that managers are looking at teams and hiring?

SI: Reshoring is pushing manufacturers to look beyond short-term metrics and adopt more strategic workforce planning. Managers are no longer waiting on monthly job reports to make hiring decisions. Instead, they’re committing to long-term planning that prioritizes workforce readiness.

Companies like Hexagon are actively partnering with U.S.-based suppliers and investing in their manufacturing capabilities. This shift is driving a change in hiring practices, where manufacturers are moving from volume-based hiring to skills-based recruitment. Managers are now prioritizing adaptable, skilled workers who can grow with evolving manufacturing demands.