ANN ARBOR, MI – March 20. The Automate 2019 Show and Conference is hosting its first Automation Works! day to help exhibitors identify potential employees to combat an unprecedented workforce shortfall and skills gap in manufacturing. Activities on April 11, the last day of the event, will include theater sessions focused on working in automation, culminating in a networking session from 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., for job seekers to connect with exhibitors who are specifically looking for new employees. Registration for the show floor and the Automation Works! day activities is free.

“As manufacturers add automation technologies to their production and logistics environments, job titles and tasks might change, but the number of jobs continues to rise,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). “Unfortunately, finding qualified prospects with the skills and training to fill these positions has become increasingly difficult. Automate Works! day should help match the many skilled workers looking for work with the companies that need them. It’s a win-win for all parties.”

According to a recent study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, more than 2.4 million jobs are expected to remain unfilled in the manufacturing space by 2028. In addition, 80 percent of manufacturers report a shortage of qualified applicants for skilled production positions, and the shortage could cost U.S. manufacturers 11 percent of their annual earnings. Manufacturing executives reported an average of 94 days to recruit engineering and research employees and 70 days to recruit skilled production workers.

Automate Works! Theater Sessions on April 11:

• Workforce Urgency for Robotics in Manufacturing (10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.):

Dr. Stephen Catt, Deputy Director- Education and Workforce Development at Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, shares how understanding the needs for workforce development leads to potential solutions that must be vetted and distributed effectively.

• Using Artificial Intelligence to Reskill the Workforce: An Insider’s Guide from Education and Industry (11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.):

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely used in advanced manufacturing, retail, health care, finance, telecommunications, education, research and more. The evolution and continued use of AI brings questions surrounding the future of the workforce. This panel discussion addresses several of the most common questions centered around AI in the workforce, particularly as it relates to robotics and automation.

• USA Science & Engineering Festival (11:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

Marc Shulman from the USA Science & Engineering Festival, next taking place April 25-26, 2020, in Washington, D.C., reviews what its group does for workforce development. The organization’s mission is to stimulate and sustain the interest of the nation’s youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by producing and presenting a compelling, exciting, and educational festival.

• Robots.Jobs (12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.)

Behind every drone, every medical robot, every autonomous vehicle or robotic arm, there is a person who wants to build technology that will improve our lives. Representatives from Robots.Jobs will discuss how they connect skilled people with companies implementing automation.

• Automation Works! Networking Session (12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

Students and job seekers mingle with recruiters from Robots.Jobs and with exhibitors looking to hire.

Exhibitors Open to Booth Visits from Job Seekers

Exhibitors who have signed up to meet with job seekers at their booths throughout the day include Acieta (booth 7914), Allied Vision Technologies, Inc (booth 8531); Becker Robotic Equipment (booth 8921); Calvary Robotics (booth 7709); Chicago Electric (booth 8318); Edgewater Automation (booth 7707); Groschopp Inc. (booth 8542), IPR Robotics (booth 7532); Motor Specialty Inc. (booth 9456); Neugart USA Corp (booth 9310); Onvio LLC (booth 9256); PIAB USA (booth 8360); Piezoelectric Technology Co., LTD (booth 8633); Pilz Automation Safety (booth 8937); RZ Automation (booth 7737); Shanghai Jiuxie Machinery Co., LTD (booth 8740) and Vention (booth 9124).

Other exhibitors open to visits from job seekers on April 11 should contact

Maria Kurple at [email protected].

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)

The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA - Advancing Vision + Imaging, Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA) and A3 Mexico. RIA, AIA, MCMA and A3 Mexico combined represent over 1,200 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward. For more information, visit: A3, RIA, AIA, MCMA, A3 Mexico.