The Importance of Building Tech-Savy Teams for Future Success

Whenever industries undergo transformative changes, workers end up fearing that new technologies will render them replaceable or obsolete. Such concerns have only grown with advancements in automation, robotics and generative artificial intelligence (AI) brought about by Industry 4.0 (I4.0).

However, the reverse is proving to be true. The technology that drives growth across various manufacturing sectors actually needs more technically-skilled workers, not less. Hooi Tan tells us more…

Born to an engineer father, I became well-acquainted with how things are built from an early age, leading me to realise that manufacturing and technology industries would offer lots of opportunities. I obtained an electrical engineering degree from Purdue University in Indiana and then joined Solectron in 2000 as a test engineer at its site in Milpitas, California. Solectron was later acquired by Flex, and I moved to sites in China in 2003.

Eventually I became general manager of facilities at Suzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai and in 2017, I moved to Singapore to lead Flex’s Asia Pacific operations. In 2022, the company’s entire global operations came under my purview and I now oversee global manufacturing, procurement, supply chain, IT, operational matters and quality control.

At Flex, which is an end-to-end manufacturing partner that helps market-leading brands design and build products, we employ over 140,000 people across 100 facilities in 30 countries.

 

What will organisations need to succeed in this new manufacturing era?

This new era of manufacturing will provide ample opportunities for innovators and problem solvers. In particular, we’ll need more technically-skilled workers who can interpret and act on data-driven insights. They will need to have problem-solving skills to keep advanced machinery running smoothly, ensure quality of products and resolve issues quickly. The views and contributions of employees are very important to our evolution and constant learning is the key to success.

 

What challenges could manufacturers face?

The biggest challenge is bridging the skills gap that exists between available workers and growing industry demand for skilled professionals. This is crucial because digitisation has transformed how companies design, build and deliver products to customers.

Digitisation has influenced supply chains, manufacturing processes, integration of automation and robotics as well as the use of advanced simulation technologies. A steady supply of talent is vital to sustain the momentum of this development.

 

How can leaders maximise human capital instead of solely relying on I4.0 technologies?

We’ve been investing heavily in the I4.0 transformation. It enhances efficiency, productivity, quality and safety for workers and aids decision making in almost every role. This will result in the standardisation of data and help us to obtain real-time information so operators can better manage and monitor our factories. However, all this would grind to a halt without human capital.

Technical schools and colleges alone cannot be responsible for providing the number of skilled employees needed. To build and run the factories of the future, we need to proactively create opportunities for workers to develop skills and pursue fulfilling career pathways.

 

How important is it to have an inclusive and developed workforce to foster success?

At Flex, we do so by fostering a culture of inclusiveness, collaboration, purposeful execution and ongoing development. By giving our workforce meaningful opportunities for learning and growth, they’ll be better equipped to harness the advanced technologies of tomorrow.

For example, Flex’s Capability Acceleration Programme trains employees around the world on a broad range of disciplines and skills related to I4.0. The courses cover topics such as automation, simulation for future-stage modelling, extended reality and more. These training programs have benefited over 32,000 employees globally to date.