The manufacturing skills gap starts in the classroom – engineering professor claims - Automation Magazine

Building the workforce heavy engineering needs

Reflections from the AWEC Symposium 2026, and what it means for closing the sector’s capability gap. Heavy engineering is short on people. Not enough are entering the profession, and too many skilled engineers, particularly women, leave before reaching senior roles. As experienced staff retire, that gap widens.Supporting women to stay and lead isn’t a side issue. It’s part of solving the shortage. Every engineer who leaves early is talent the se…

The manufacturing skills gap starts in the classroom – engineering professor claims - Automation Magazine

The skills gap in manufacturing has been a consistent issue for many years now, with an aging workforce and lack of incoming skills from those who have freshly graduated from their engineering courses. According to data from consultancy McKinsey, 87% of businesses report that they are either facing a skills shortage or expect to do so in the next five years. Deloitte reports that over 2 million jobs could go unfilled in the manufacturing space, …