Adaptability of the US Engineering and Technical Workforce: Proceedings Of A Workshop

By: National Academies of Sciences and Engineering and Medicine

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Synopsis: In 2015 the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) released the report Making Value for America: Embracing the Future of Manufacturing, Technology, and Work. That study observed that technological developments, reengineered operations, and economic forces are transforming the way products and services are conceived, designed, made, distributed, and supported, a transformation that is having profound effects on the world of work. Jobs consisting of repetitive tasks are being disrupted by automation or offshored to lower-cost producers. Workers are being asked to upgrade their skills to become more productive and adaptable. So far these changes have been most notable in manufacturing and high-technology services, but they are poised to also transform enterprises in energy, health care, education, and other sectors. To explore the effects of these changes on the workforce and on individual workers, the NAE held a workshop November 2–3, 2017, entitled “Preparing the Engineering and Technical Workforce for Adaptability and Resilience to Change.” The first goal of the workshop was to increase stakeholders’ understanding of both the importance of workforce adaptability and the definition and characteristics of adaptability. The second goal was to provide an opportunity to share best practices for fostering adaptability and to identify needs for future study and development. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.