North America Summit Navigates Imminent Digital Transformation set to Disrupt Manufacturing Workforce

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The manufacturing industry as we know it is set to undergo a radical transformation as a result of digitization. From top to bottom, digital transformation, known within the industry as Manufacturing 4.0, will require advanced and atypical skill sets for both leadership and line workers alike. Forward thinkers and companies looking to prepare for the workforce of tomorrow are welcome to attend Frost & Sullivan’s annual event, Growth, Innovation and Leadership (GIL): North America – Digital Disruption: Realizing Growth Potential, taking place September 17 to 20, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas.

Throughout the hands-on Think Tank titled, "Smart Manufacturing: Rethinking Organizational Roles & Leadership to Leverage the Factory of the Future," participants will discover first-hand the impact of Manufacturing 4.0 and prepare for the inevitable effects digitization will have on the manufacturing workforce.

“This inexorable trend will change how companies are organized, how they are led, how they build products, and how they engage with customers and suppliers,” said Co-Founder of Frost & Sullivan’s Manufacturing Leadership Council David R. Brousell. “Perhaps most importantly, digitization will spur the creation of new job roles, requiring up-to-date abilities and expertise from all levels of the factory of the future.”

Participants of the interactive Think Tank can expect to depart understanding:

• Why there is a low level of comprehension about Manufacturing 4.0
• What technologies will require the development of knowledge and expertise
• How companies are adjusting their current job classification structures to align with Manufacturing 4.0 requirements

The session will provide participants the opportunity to hear from Brousell during his Executive Bulletin, Manufacturing 4.0: Bridging the Gap and a separate panel discussing strategies from the front lines of manufacturing featuring the following industry leaders:

• Caralynn Nowinski Collens, Chief Executive Officer – UI Labs
• Brad Heath, Chief Executive Officer & Owner – VirTex
• Rebekah Kowalski, VP Workforce Strategy & Solution Integration – ManpowerGroup
• James Regenor, Business Unit Director, Additive Manufacturing & Innovation – Moog
• Danny Smith, Principal, Manufacturing Strategy – SAS

GIL 2017: North America is an opportunity to gain new insight and perspective on business and technology issues that matter most, now and in the future. It is where participants will collaborate in real time with other innovative and visionary thinkers, and push beyond their personal and organizational boundaries to create the future. Join us, and be a part of what makes GIL a powerhouse of ideas and meaningful connections: Its participants!

About Frost & Sullivan 

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community.