The Impact Of An LMS On Manufacturing Training

Today, manufacturing organizations are facing a severe skills shortage, and it’s expected to continue to 2028 and beyond.

A Deloitte study suggested that 2.4 million manufacturing positions will remain unfilled by 2028 due to skill shortages.

With the lack of skilled staff and rigorous compliance requirements, manufacturing organizations can no longer rely on traditional training methods to train their employees. One way to get your full complement of staff is with in-house training. This is where an LMS for manufacturing comes into play.

A learning management system for manufacturing can ensure compliance, productivity, and safety and prepare the workforce with the skills needed to thrive in a competitive environment.

In this blog, we will explore the challenges with traditional training methods, the advantages and features of a manufacturing LMS, and how to implement one in your organization.

Manufacturing LMS Explained

According to the 2022 Training Industry Report, with 89% usage, LMS was the most used learning technology to train employees. But what is an LMS?

An LMS application uses interactive modules, engaging multimedia, and real-time assessments to achieve a specific learning objective.

For manufacturing organizations, an LMS can automate the training process of employees, provide hands-on training for handling equipment, and even manage compliance requirements.

Since LMS is easily customizable, organizations can create e-learning materials, track employees’ progress, update the material, leverage analytics to improve training programs and employ various training and development methods.

Traditional Training Tools Challenges

The traditional training tools in the manufacturing industry were costly, time-consuming, and difficult to coordinate. Here are some of the significant challenges.

Large Skill Gap

The large skill gap is one of the biggest challenges the manufacturing industry faces. The skills required today constantly change and evolve due to rapid technological advancements.

With the traditional training tools, it was time-consuming and incredibly costly to train employees in new skills while maintaining a high quality of work.

Changing Industry Regulations

Non-compliance with regulations in the manufacturing industry is accompanied by hefty penalties and fines. The applicable laws are often complicated and regularly updated, making it essential for organizations to consistently inform their employees about new changes.

The traditional methods were not designed to train hundreds or thousands of employees. There was also no scope for checking their progress.

High Costs

Manufacturing organizations had the second-highest average training budget (approximately $3.5 million) in 2022. Since manufacturing processes are complex, specialized, and have innumerable guidelines, they require hands-on training sessions. This made the traditional training methods costly.