Bridging the Digital Engineering Skills Gap

Many engineering companies and manufacturers are investigating new digital technologies and assessing the digitalization of their businesses. There’s a gradual upturn in the skill levels required to explore, deliver, and support digital engineering solutions.

The need for digital engineering support systems

As Industry 4.0 progresses, some companies are finding that they are in need of colleague support systems when deploying new technologies and growing accustomed to new digital engineering and manufacturing processes. In many circumstances, the technological benefits can be achieved quite painlessly. But, when the changes are implemented in design engineering, analysis, or in manufacturing, logistics, or the supply chain, the impact is compounded by the sheer number of those involved. And there’s always the chance that staff will require additional skills to flourish in a digitally enhanced environment.

The good news is that providing an intuitive user interface is high on the list of deliverables from most vendors. And there are a host of additional solutions and resources available to help close that skills gap.

Training for digital engineering

Dedicated training should be supplied as part of any new software implementation. It’s essential to provide the specialist training that your employees require so that they have a baseline of knowledge and experience to build on for future developments.

• Classroom training: Our classroom-based training sessions are held at dedicated training facilities, led by certified instructors, and are designed to offer a comprehensive learning experience with hands-on practice.
• Online and virtual training: For flexibility and convenience, we offer online courses through our virtual training center. These courses are accessible from anywhere and offer the same high-quality training experience as in-person sessions. These include pre-prepared courses and customized workshops to suit specific learning needs.
• Blended learning: Combining both online and classroom elements, blended learning provides a flexible approach that accommodates different learning styles and schedules. This method ensures that participants can benefit from both theoretical and practical aspects of training.
• Custom training programs: Our bespoke training solutions are tailored to your specific organizational requirements, ensuring that the training is relevant and directly applicable to the participants’ roles. These custom courses can be conducted on-site at your organization or at TECHNIA offices around the world.
• Simulation learning program: The simulation learning program consists of a series of webinars focused on enhancing skills in simulation using tools like Abaqus. This paid service allows unlimited attendees from your company locations, making it an efficient way to upskill large teams and stay updated with the latest advancements and best practices in simulation.

Digital adoption solutions

• Continuous learning: Light My Way, the DAS (digital adoption solution) for 3DEXPERIENCE, offers a robust solution to bridge the digital engineering skills gap. It facilitates continuous learning and helps users stay updated with the latest tools and processes by providing in-app training and guidance. This is especially important as AI technologies evolve, requiring users to adapt quickly to new functionalities and workflows.
• Accelerate user adoption: Our 3DEXPERIENCE DAS offers intuitive guidance tailored to the user’s role and application state. This personalized approach ensures that users receive the most relevant information when they need it, reducing the learning curve and enhancing productivity.
• Reduce training and support costs: It also reduces the need for extensive manual training sessions and ongoing support by integrating training directly into the platform. This helps to reduce training and support callouts while empowering users to learn at their own pace.

The impact of AI on the digital engineering skills gap

The ways in which artificial intelligence in engineering software will impact your business are highly unpredictable. As such, success through this change is most closely connected to your company’s ability to adapt. PLM and digital engineering software vendors are already expanding the AI components of their products, and a skills gap is most likely to extend between those who execute and those who create. Bridging this gap requires organizations to prioritize upskilling and the development of practical applications for AI tools. Without addressing this disparity, businesses risk falling behind.