Jeannine Kunz, CEO of SME, will explore how workforce development is essential to ensuring that technological advancements in manufacturing are matched by a skilled adaptable workforce. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of technology and talent, she has led national initiatives to attract develop and retain employees by collaborating with employers, educators, and government.
In her keynote, she will emphasize the urgency of reskilling, retraining, and recruiting talent to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry. She will highlight the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing workforce challenges, ensuring manufacturers can effectively prepare for the future.
Kunz will also discuss how companies can assess where they stand in their workforce readiness journey, emphasizing the importance of preventative care when it comes to attraction, retention, and upskilling. Recognizing their current risks and opportunities helps companies keep proactive workforce actions front and center even in the face of other business pressures.
Lastly, she will examine how emerging technologies from AI-driven tools to immersive training solutions can enhance workforce attraction, learning, and retention. Drawing from her work with the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council and the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on Smart Manufacturing she will discuss how manufacturers can integrate digital tools and data analytics into workforce programs. By leveraging these advancements, companies can create more effective training solutions that help employees adapt, grow, and thrive alongside technological progress.
