A workforce that thrives has long been the fuel supply for the engine of growth for our industry. Advanced technology and innovation require new skills that are not easily found in the workforce. No single or short-term fix can help overcome demographic changes and technology skills gaps. There are key areas where manufacturers and industrial operators can better prepare their operations and empower their current and future workers to adjust to the challenges ahead.
Our Commitment to Lifelong Learning
As important as it is to invest in the next breakthrough innovation, it is equally important to invest in the development of our current and future workforce. The current global skills gap leaves millions of jobs unfilled. Rockwell Automation strongly supports the concept of lifelong learning for recent graduates and experienced employees.
STEM Education
To help prepare the future workforce and address the global skills gap, we contribute thousands of volunteer hours and millions of dollars to the success of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs.
University Partnership Program
Rockwell Automation established our University Partnership Program (UPP) in 1998, to continue the growth of a healthy talent pipeline for ourselves, our partners, and our customers. This program builds relationships between our company, top-tier engineering universities, and our industry while it continues to expose students to innovative automation and smart manufacturing.
Our UPP educates engineering students with our technology as a “hands-on” compliment to academic curriculum. This strong tie that is built between industry and academia differentiates us as an employer of choice for graduates.
Veterans Advanced Manufucturing Training Program
Military veterans in North America play a pivotal role to drive the next generation of advanced digital manufacturing. Rockwell Automation and the Manpower Group partner together to begin training 1000 military veterans in 2018 for leading-edge digital roles in manufacturing.
This new and innovative workforce development technical retraining program will help to improve skills and place veterans in high-demand roles in 12 weeks. The program expands our Engineering-in-Training program that combines classroom learning with hands-on laboratory experience. Veterans will learn advanced manufacturing processes and acquire skills that will significantly increase earning potential and prepare them for sustainable jobs at the forefront of advanced manufacturing.
24toCode | A Rockwell Automation Hackathon
New innovations constantly change how we work, how we live and how things get made – and through hackathons like these, we want to highlight the tech jobs that dominate manufacturing around the world. Use your expertise in emerging technologies to solve some of our company’s biggest, and real challenges. Go up against participants from a variety of backgrounds, including engineers, developers, software engineers – from high school students to experienced professionals. Past winning teams have walked away with cash prizes – but most importantly, some have received employment offers.
