Manufacturing and the development of technology to improve manufacturing have been a source of American prosperity and national security for over a century. The introduction of disruptive technologies such as robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI), while addressing critical areas of need in manufacturing, are also changing the very nature of work for U.S. manufacturers. New skills and different types of training are needed to prepare workers for these changes.

Leveraging existing research, interviews, and case studies from across the ARM Institute's network, this study provides key insights on workforce issues and programs that are helping prepare workers for the changes that are already here and those that are on the horizon. This new study provides lessons learned, best practices, and actionable steps for educators, employers, and labor unions to take in order to build a future-ready manufacturing workforce.

This report addresses the following questions and others:

• How do we leverage published research to address the needs of the manufacturing workforce?
• What is the impact of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 on the important skills needed in the workforce over the next 10 years?
• What are the challenges and lessons learned by the sector?

Preparing the manufacturing workforce to work alongside these technologies will require a collective effort from educators at all levels, employers, labor unions, and ecosystem support institutions, including the entire Manufacturing USA® Network and other government agencies. Our report outlines the actions educators, employers, labor unions, the ARM Institute, and federal agencies must take to prepare the U.S. manufacturing workforce for the changes that are already here and those that are still to come.