Category: Soft Skill

What is the required Skillset for “New-Collar Jobs” in Manufacturing?

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Factories today encompass the trending tools like 3D Printing, robotics, laser cutting machines, generative design tools, virtual reality, and augmented reality. All these tools are interconnected and form a network of devices. Now, to operate these highly advanced manufacturing tools, organizations require skilled personnel or the new-collar workforce.

However, manufacturers at present face major skills shortages in their factories as the workforce is incompetent in handling advanced machineries, such as computer numerical control (CNC) machining stations, lasers, automation, and robotics. This large-scale digitalization necessitates workforces with more advanced skills. The skillset of this workforce must include:

  • New collar workers must equip themselves with digital skills which are required for the working and maintenance of software and tools, such as CAD files and programs, 3D printers and robots.
  • Manufacturers expect the new collar workers to be skilled in cloud computing maintenance, security analysis and testing, data mining and statistical analysis, data storage management, and user interface operational and maintenance skills.
  • New-collar jobs require individuals to possess problem solving, critical thinking, and deep thinking skills to resolve the complex organizational problems with ease.

All in all, if individuals aspire for having a successful career in manufacturing industry, they must acquire the skills for new-collar jobs and accelerate their career growth.

Engineering Education and Job Satisfaction

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A couple of years back, a bachelor’s degree in engineering was assumed to be enough to achieve success in the career. But, with more competitiveness in the industries, the employers now seek candidates that hold advanced degrees in engineering. These degrees also helps the professional to move into job roles that are more challenging, highly paid, and with more responsibilities.

Recent research about degrees and job roles stated that:

  • Bachelor’s degree was the most common degree across the technical industries.
  • Master’s degree held the second highest position.
  • An exception was seen in the education sector that held a higher number of doctoral degrees.

Degree Types and Job Roles

Degrees plays a significant role in the employee job responsibilities. A match between the job roles and education is thus important for success. Therefore, people who wish to succeed in their career opt for advanced degrees in their field. It is often observed that:

  • Most of the successful people working in the same field of their education had both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.
  • These professionals persuaded for a higher level of education to gain a deeper understanding of their fields and advance on their career paths.

Job Satisfaction

It is one of the most motivating factors to go for an advanced degree.

  • Most of the professionals believe that having a masters or a PhD degree helps them excel in their career.
  • It helps to gain an improvedbreadth of knowledge and expertise in their filed.
  • It gives professionals a higher level of job satisfaction and enjoyment of their tasks.
  • Lastly, it offers a high range of salary which gives them a feeling of satisfaction.

Fourth Industrial Revolution: How Engineers can Stay Prepared

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Like the first industrial revolution, which introduced the use of steam in the production industry. The second which included electric power, and the third that introduced IT, the fourth industrial revolution is set to bring new changes in the field of technology. Although it is difficult to define its possible alignment with the engineering world, we can expect some drastic changes in the events and be prepared to embrace them.

Here are five ways in which the engineers can prepare themselves for it:

  • They need to be more attentive and constantly upgrade their skills to stay competitive.
  • Engineering professionals have to look for ways that include low production costs and high-profit returns.
  • It is important for them to stay continuously updated with the technology.
  • The engineers need to stay open to the changing communication mechanisms and technology.
  • The revolution may change the ways in which work gets done, therefore staying flexible towards work is important for the engineering professionals.

Skills which every engineer should have

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For those who want to enhance their personality/ outlook and to impress their supervisors, make use of these tips and make this task a less daunting one.

Humility

Always be humble. Acting like a know-it-all could strike the wrong chord during negotiations or any discussion. Humility is important at all points of life and also the best way to connect with others and  drive conversations in different directions.

Personal Identity

Create your very own brand and work towards improving the same. It can go a long way in enhancing your career and professional outlook. Personal identity is the best style to express one- selves and his or her working style.

Positivity

Any engineer would be expected to show utmost resilience at all points of time. Instead of focusing on negativity, if one chooses to believe in positivity, their overall personal and professional outlook will become better and widespread.

Apart from the skills, your superiors, colleagues, peers or anyone with whom you work will try to associate you with the way you communicate or express yourself with them. So, take things on an easy and work on the essentials before you can come to any conclusion.

How To Present Your Mechanical Design To The Team?

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The newbies in engineering often feel underestimated due to the lack of soft skills that are required to undermine the job role. For a mechanical engineer, it is more important to present the mechanical design more efficiently than knowing only the technical details.

For those who need to present mechanical design to the peers, or the client to pitch for new business, take help of these tips and make this task a less daunting:

Understand the audience

Represent your design from the perspective of an ordinary man. The audience may not be aware of the nitty-gritty involved, and therefore, your design must be able to communicate the required use and purpose to everyone.

Public Speaking Skills

Work on the confidence level to nail the presentation in front of people. If you still feel anxiety after practicing presentation behind the curtain, remain calm during the actual presentation to go on. Remind yourself that you halfway there, and face people with a smile.

Convey Details

Prepare for the questions that the audience is going to put in front of you. There can be questions related to designs, materials and choices, manufacturing processes and much more. If you don’t have answers to the questions, don’t get nervous and avoid fumbling. Tell them that you will get back with the right answer after the meeting.

Presentation Tips

Don’t keep reading all the content from the PowerPoint and take audience towards the pointer every time. It can leave them confused or bored while listening. Prepare bullets or rough narrative to explain your ideas.

Apart from the presentation, people will judge you more by the mechanical design and not the speaking skills. So, go easy and work on the essentials before the meeting.