“It is a matter of fact that productivity and competiveness are indispensable for a manufacturing enterprise to be successful on the global market. Robotics and automation are the solution. Certain jobs may be reduced by robotics and automation but the study highlights that consequently many more jobs are created!” – Gudrun Litzenberger, General Secretary of IFR
If you’re thinking of a career in supply chain (click here to learn more), it’s time to think about robots. But when you think about robots, what do you think about? Some might think about science fiction, while others think about household functions like a roomba. But did you ever think about working with manufacturing robots? If you’re interested in analyzing engineering drawings, working with top-of-the-line technology, or understanding the mathematical specifications of machines, consider a job in supply chain: you might get to work with robots.
The biggest concern in manufacturing is that robots are stealing jobs from hardworking Americans. You might be thinking: why would I want to work with robots? Won’t they end up taking my job anyways?
You couldn’t be more wrong.
Manufacturing robots will actually create more than two million jobs from 2013 to 2021. That’s 3 to 5 jobs per robot. Robots increase productivity, create a safer workplace, and reduce labor costs (IFR Press Release.) They’re becoming more prevalent in supply chain and manufacturing industries with over 1.1 million robots in 2013 (HowStuffWorks).
Even though robots replace human workers, employees are still required to perform maintenance on machines, work alongside them, or even program them. One of my coworkers sole job is to program machines: it’s a job that requires the ability to understand machine programming language and engineering drawings, without requiring an engineering or a computer science degree.
Robots first showed up in manufacturing in 1961 when 4,000 lb machine Unimate joined General Motors (HowStuffWorks). Up until recently, robots were used to perform one or two tasks that were deemed too dangerous or tedious for humans (Jill Osiecki called the tasks “uninspiring”). They are often incredibly large and heavy, but don’t require things like breaks or benefits like human employees do (Hagerty, James R.)
The industry is undergoing a robot revolution. New robots can work alongside other employees safely using cameras to sense others. They weigh as little as 64 pounds. They can be programmed by non-experts and don’t require bolting to the floor. What’s more, robots, once confined to the auto industry, are taking over the rest of the manufacturing world, with targets on food and pharmaceuticals (Hagerty, James R.) As the expense of human labor rises, robots have become a lower cost solution for many companies. They even have the potential to bring work previously sent overseas back into the United States (HowStuffWorks)
As STEM students and supply chain professionals, you could have the opportunity to work with or even program these robots – without ever having to earn a rigorous STEM related degree (Learn more about the perks of a supply chain degree here and here). Supply chain positions can range from production planners to purchasers to logistics coordinators. That means, as a future supply chain professional, you could be responsible for scheduling the time a robot has to work, purchasing parts for robots (or brand new robots!), or coordinating products robots produce once they are finished. Be sure to read my blog posts on project management and transportation to learn more about those roles. Even though robots might not be as exciting as in the movies, they’re certainly a thrilling opportunity for your career.
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