The Evolving Manufacturing Industry: Skills, Technology, & Workforce Growth

from Supply Chain Now · host Supply Chain Now

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton welcomes Carolyn Lee, President and Executive Director of The Manufacturing Institute, to discuss the critical issues shaping the future of the manufacturing workforce. Carolyn shares her journey, from growing up in a manufacturing family to her leadership role at The Manufacturing Institute, where she works to bridge the skills gap and build the workforce of tomorrow.They talk about the challenges of attracting and retaining talent, the importance of education and training programs like Heroes MAKE America and the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME), and how the manufacturing sector is evolving in response to technology and automation. Carolyn also discusses the power of storytelling to change perceptions of manufacturing careers and the impact of initiatives that support military veterans and their families in transitioning to high-demand manufacturing roles.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Bridging talent and manufacturing(01:03) Carolyn Lee: A Leader in Manufac(07:32) The Manufacturing Institute's mission(12:44) Empowering veterans with manufacturing career(17:49) FAME: Advanced maintenance training(21:42) The importance of core skills in manufacturing(23:51) The role of AI and automation in manufacturing(25:46) The future of manufacturing jobs(29:33) Heroes MAKE America: Success stories(30:44) Changing perceptions of manufacturing careers(36:16) The power of Manufacturing DayAdditional Links and Resources:Connect with Carolyn Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynlee-mi/Learn more about The Manufacturing Institute: https://themanufacturinginstitute.org/Check out Heroes MAKE America: https://themanufacturinginstitute.org/heroes-make-america/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Bridging the Gap: Investigating the Disconnect Between Supply Chains and the People Who Run Them: https://bit.ly/3F1iZr2WEBINAR- Unpacking the Latest Tariff Updates, Best Practices & What to Expect Next: https://bit.ly/4ikvdcSWEBINAR- Lessons Learned from the Trenches: How AI Will Impact the Future of Work: https://bit.ly/3DUnROxWEBINAR- Adapting to Volatility: Navigating Trade Wars, Supply Chain Disruptions & AI: https://bit.ly/4kqSv2DWEBINAR- Altium 365: Integrated Supply Chain Management Across the Product: https://bit.ly/4bWSLmaThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Amanda Luton, Joshua Miranda, and Trisha Cordes. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/evolving-manufacturing-industry-skills-technology-workforce-growth-1408 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at [email protected]© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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This episode is 42 minutes long.

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This episode was published on March 26, 2025.

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