Advanced Manufacturing: The Careers Of The Future

By: Jayson Myers, CEO, Next Generation Manufacturing (NGen)

The business of making things is changing rapidly. The pandemic has underlined the importance of having “made-in-Canada” solutions, while demand has surged for clean products and game-changing technologies to address some of the world’s biggest challenges including climate change, life threatening disease and food insecurity.

Canada has a unique opportunity to position itself at the forefront of the world stage. The days of dusty factories, repetitive, boring and dangerous work are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Companies are modernizing, entrepreneurs are innovating, and the world is embracing change.

As the leader of Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster, we believe in harnessing the intellectual strength of youth. Through Careers of the Future, we aim to educate young people about advanced manufacturing and inspire them to pursue fulfilling careers in the sector—careers that are at the forefront of innovation and sustainability.

Advanced manufacturing is changing the way that humanity lives. Building robots, using artificial intelligence to create self-driving cars, 3D printing to make objects out of thin air, and virtual and augmented reality are all examples of its innovative and limitless potential. These advanced tools are helping us build better, smarter, and cleaner than ever before. Best of all, they’re creating opportunities for a rewarding future.

We know that manufacturing in five- or ten-years’ time will be fundamentally different than it is today. Canadian manufacturers have the chance to re-position themselves as they take advantage of new opportunities. But, let’s face it, their future will depend in large part on building a skilled workforce prepared to take on the challenge. And that means attracting the young intelligent minds who are the students of today.

We are committed to informing young people, their parents, and educators about advanced manufacturing in hopes that these bright young minds will be open and interested in pursuing a career in this sector. For NGen, the Careers of the Future campaign is essential if we are to address skills shortages in manufacturing today and in the future, especially those related to the use of advanced digital and production technologies.

And the challenge is real. A full 25% of all manufacturing workers today will retire by 2030. Young people, aged 25 and under, account for only 6% of the workforce. We have a big and growing skills gap that must be addressed urgently. How we address it is of vital strategic importance not only for the future of manufacturing in Canada, but for the economic well being of every Canadian.

In order simply to maintain current production levels, let alone grow, Canadian manufacturers need to find new employees and they need to boost productivity big time – by a full 20% if current labour market trends persist. Labour shortages will drive a greater degree of automation and digitization across industry. And the result? The technical and digital skills that will be required to operate advanced business and production systems will be in even shorter supply if manufacturers do not take the lead in providing guidance to students and educators at secondary and even primary levels today.

We also need to make sure that young people understand that manufacturing will play a leading role in addressing many of the big issues that they care about and that are important for society –climate change, health care, food and water security, social development – and that the sector offers career opportunities that will allow them to make a real difference.

Right now, in Canada, hundreds of companies need creative people to work with the leading edge of technology. To discover some of the ins and outs of advanced manufacturing, we interviewed Canadians who are early in their career and already making a difference using robotics, science, computer studies and more. Find out what some of them are working on and the endless possibilities of the future:

“I studied English literature. I got a degree in the Arts. If you had asked me 10 years ago, could you imagine that you would be running a robotics company? My straight up answer would be: No.” Jessica Yip – Co-Founder, A&K Robotics

See Jessica Yip, Co-Founder, A&K Robotics' Interview at www.careersofthefuture.ca/meet-the-changemakers

Jessica works for A&K Robotics, which uses robots and artificial intelligence to help people get to where they live and work. Ever heard of self-driving cars? Jessica’s team has invented a system that can attach onto anything with wheels and make it self-driving. She wasn’t exposed to technology growing up, but the more she learned about robots and what they could do, she knew that robotics was the career for her.

“It’s not your mom and dad’s manufacturing. You get that idea when you see people standing in an assembly line putting things together. The reality of advanced manufacturing is that it’s" Hannah Fung, Marketing Director, Myant

See Hannah Fung, Marketing Director, Myant's Interview at www.careersofthefuture.ca/meet-the-changemakers

Hannah works at Myant, a global pioneer and leader in textile computing. Myant is fighting climate change by reducing the huge amount of textile waste in landfills. The company is also using clothing to sense and react to the human body, to help better connect aging parents to their families using wearable devices that track biometrics built into the clothing.

“Look at the technologies you use, look at what is available at your fingertips and think to yourself, how can this be better?” Lina Qamar – LEAP, Linamar Corp.

Lina works at Linamar, an advanced manufacturing company that creates leading edge solutions to power vehicles. Growing up, she loved talking about automotive engineering with her dad, a fellow engineer. At Linamar, she enjoys working with the younger, tech-savvy generation because of their abilities to bring fresh perspectives and new ideas.

See Lina Qamar of Linamar Corp's Interview at www.careersofthefuture.ca/meet-the-changemakers

Atlantic Canada is full of opportunities to get involved with advanced manufacturing but how can young people access these careers?

Businesses in Atlantic Canada are doing big things with advanced manufacturing. Allan Equipment in Nova Scotia uses complex robotics to harvest potatoes. Glenwood Kitchen in New Brunswick went from manually sanding their wood products, to using AI and robotics to create custom doors and cabinetry. And PolyUnity in Newfoundland connects healthcare workers worldwide with validated, 3Dprinted medical simulations.

Clearly, there are some amazing and rewarding jobs waiting for young people in advanced manufacturing. A smart place to start is with the right education before and after graduating. Studying science, engineering, business commerce, computer studies or a skilled trade can all help to build the foundations for a successful career. These subject fields aren’t a complete picture, but they give you an idea of the main areas that can prepare young people. And education in these fields of study is available at colleges and universities across the country. Visit www.careersofthefuture.ca/future-careers to learn more.

Advanced manufacturing is changing the way that we live, and young Canadians can play a key role in making that happen. It means a good career and helping to build an even better future.

Robotics: We know what robots do—some work all by themselves; some collaboratively with humans; others need to be guided. They're often used to help with tasks humans already do (like a prosthetic arm) or for repetitive and dangerous tasks. You and your robot colleagues could have a big future, together.

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Virtual and Augmented Reality: This tech makes computer designs real, through 3D printing. It’s “additive” because a computer-guided system adds material, building layer by layer. With it, we can dream up totally new components and products limited only by imagination—and make them a reality.

Discover the ins and outs of some fascinating careers within Advanced Manufacturing. We interviewed 6 incredible people, who spoke about how they discovered their career, what they are working on now and the endless possibility of the future. Visit CareersOfTheFuture.ca