It is widely held that artificial intelligence (AI) will help drive productivity in the near future. But how?

When you meet with manufacturing, learning and development (L&D) and human resources (HR) leaders, this question is especially relevant given their massive front-line workforce. Skilling their existing workforce is now more critical than ever. In fact, there are more than 627,000 open roles right now in manufacturing alone — and this is projected to balloon to 2.1 million unfilled positions within the next seven years.

This means that manufacturing workers will need to be trained on how to work alongside AI. Research from the Guild shows that front-line workers are ready to embrace AI but only when they are exposed to it. In the Guild’s 2023 report, “Guild Member AI Research Survey,” approximately 33% of front-line workers had used AI and 95% of them wanted more skilling in AI.

Your front-line workforce wants skills development — so it’s up to L&D to provide this opportunity. In this article, we’ll evaluate three best practices to upskilling your front-line workforce for an AI-powered future.

AI Upskilling for Front-Line Workers

1.     Communicate a clear vision.

Data suggests that many workforces are unfamiliar with AI or have only a passing knowledge of it. A recent survey from Boston Consulting Group, found that only 14% of front-line workers have received training to address how AI will impact their jobs, and 86% of employees recognize the need for it. This can also contribute to misperceptions of AI: In the same study, BCG found front-line workers were less likely (42%) than their leaders (62%) to feel optimistic about AI. For a manufacturing workforce, this means the first step to delivering AI upskilling should be to demystify AI and communicate a clear vision for how it will work inside the organization. Yes, AI will fundamentally change the future of work, including what roles they lead and skills they’ll need. However, that doesn’t mean it will take away their jobs.

It’s up to L&D and manufacturing leaders to clearly communicate to their deskless workers where they see AI’s potential in the organization and, specifically, why this is a reason to be optimistic for the future. Use clear examples to explain the benefits. For example, a manufacturing leader can share how AI has the potential to increase team productivity by automating other tasks. Tangible examples like these can help your team understand the potential you see and build buy-in.

2.     Inclusive upskilling.

Bringing AI skills to the front-line can be challenging. Many of the AI programs that are available are for master programs, which means to enroll, a bachelor’s degree would be required. This can pose a challenge to many deskless workers, since only 18.1% of front-line workers have a college degree, and approximately 36.3% of front-line workers in the U.S have some college education.

L&D leaders must fix this disparity by creating upskilling opportunities for their front-line workforce. Credentialing and certification programs are a great way to upskill and prepare deskless workers for the future of AI. When designing an upskilling course or curriculum for deskless workers, L&D leaders should:

• Teach the basics of AI — focus on AI fundamentals like digital literacy, ethics and awareness.
• Help their workforce learn in a practical way, such as how to use and understand AI tools that support practical applications.
• Introduce advanced skills in AI, like building and scaling technology in AI.
• Think about the overall strategic shifts AI should drive on business priorities, threats and opportunities, and communicate this to learners.

Another important way companies in manufacturing have seen success in upskilling is by partnering with local community colleges and public universities to provide educational benefits for workers.

3.     Design for access.

When creating training programs for your manufacturing workforce, it’s important to ensure that the learning is accessible for everyone in the organization. Since deskless workers may have less time to train, it’s essential that the training is readily available for them whenever they have time to consume learning. L&D leaders should consider the following:

• Flexible format: Microlearning in the form of a video or digestible learning content can fit better in a front-line worker’s day. Mobile learning can allow deskless workers to fit learning in throughout the day while they’re on the field.
• Learning in the flow of work: On-the-job training can give front-line workers the ability to learn and apply skills hands on while they’re on the clock.
• Support systems: Guild’s data shows that upskilling programs work best when employees have a strong support system. Coaching and mentorship programs are a great way to offer your front-line workforce feedback and support as they learn new skills.

An AI-Powered Future

There is plenty we do not know about AI’s implications on the future of work and our economy. However, what is certain is that L&D leaders are responsible for ensuring their front-line workforce has the skills and capabilities needed to work with AI in the near future.

By helping manufacturing workers understand AI’s potential, creating an upskilling strategy that supports different skill sets and designing accessible training, you can help increase productivity and navigate change in an AI-powered future.