Talent Archives - Center for Automotive Research

Automation Adoption & Implications for the Automotive Workforce

swhitehouse@cargroup.org — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:12:48 +0000

Many automakers and suppliers continue to face both challenges and opportunities as the automotive industry progresses through an era of rapid innovation as automation and artificial intelligence in the manufacturing setting continues to advance. Automotive companies widely report difficulty in finding enough qualified, skilled employees. Meanwhile, automation and artificial intelligence could potentially revolutionize manufacturing and change both the number of future workers required and the skills those people will need to possess.

With funding from Case Western Reserve University, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) has prepared this report summarizing a benchmarking survey conducted across over 120 firms. The survey was conducted by Case Western Reserve University in partnership with Boston University, Center for Automotive Research, New York University, Precision Metalforming Association, and multiple part supplier associations. The survey investigates two questions: 1) what drives the adoption of new technology in the manufacturing setting and 2) how do a firm’s relationships with technology and its employees affect this adoption.

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New Materials/New Skills for Automotive Skilled Trades

swhitehouse@cargroup.org — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:39:50 +0000

CAR has completed research on the impact of new materials on skilled trades training and apprenticeship needs. Designing, analyzing, and building automotive tools, dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures to form the wide array of new and advanced materials being deployed in current and future vehicles are changing skill needs not only for incumbent workers, but also for the future workforce. CAR’s research included cataloging the major skills needed by the automotive industry, identifying skills gaps, and assessing how smaller companies and suppliers can work to address these gaps either on their own, through industry consortia, and/or in conjunction with equipment vendors and educational partners.

This report focuses on the impact of automotive lightweighting solutions involving new designs with lightweight materials and advanced forming and joining processes on training received by current skilled trades workers and industrial maintenance associates, as well as curriculum development for apprenticeships.

This research was conducted with support of a grant from the Arconic Foundation and was first released at the CAR T3 Manufacturing Summit.

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