As you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of gear manufacturing, it’s become increasingly clear that success isn’t solely determined by the precision of your machines or the latest technological advancements. While these factors remain crucial, the true differentiator in today’s competitive market lies in cultivating and nurturing your most valuable asset: your people.

Operation Next provides an accelerated-hybrid program that combines online education with hands-on training to earn credentials for in-demand careers in advanced manufacturing. BBTC’s rolling start program will train students in Computer Numeric Control (CNC) and Welding. Each year 200,000 service members transition out of the military across the nation, and it is estimated that nearly 2 million advanced manufacturing workers will be needed to fill vacant positions in the U.S. by 2028.

I grew up playing video games in the 1980s/1990s. Today, my kids not only play video games, but could discuss coding, designing, and marketing at length on their YouTube channel. This generation is growing up with technology no other generation has ever had.

National STEM Day, celebrated on November 8th this year, provided a platform for Gear Technology to engage in a conversation with four remarkable women shaping the manufacturing industry: Ruthie Johnston, CEO and Owner of Croix Gear; Robin Olson, Senior Manager, Applications Engineering—Engineered Gear, Regal Rexnord; Michelle Maddox, Sales and Business Development Manager, B&R Machine and Gear Corp.; and Claudia Hambleton, Office Manager and Corporate Treasurer, German Machine Tools of America (GMTA). Each of these women, driven by a shared passion for fostering the next generation of female leaders, revealed their unique journeys and perspectives in this male-dominated field.

At the Motion + Power Technology Expo in Detroit, I had the privilege to sit and discuss workforce development challenges with Kris Ward, senior director, strategy, and business development at SME, Kika Young, president, Forest City Gear, Mary Ellen Doran, director, emerging technology and executive director for the AGMA Foundation and Megan Schrauben, executive director, MiSTEM Network. The following is an edited transcript of this panel discussion. (Special thanks to Forest City Gear for sponsoring this live event.)

The story of finding—and keeping—skilled workers in manufacturing has been told for decades. It’s always the “next-generation,” that’s going to swoop-in and create a manufacturing renaissance both here and abroad. Yet, the conversation remains largely unchanged since as far back as the 1980s.