As Digital Twins become more commonly used in industry, the demand for experts in the field continues to grow, and the overall shortage of skilled workers could slow down the implementation of the technology across all industries. 29% of global manufacturing companies have either fully or partially implemented their digital twin strategies. It is critical to begin preparing the future workforce to fill the ever-increasing demand. According to a recent article, the demand for skilled technology workers will continue to grow, but the talent pool will be shallow. By 2030, as many as 85 million jobs could go unfilled because there isn't the talent to fill them. These shortages could result in as much as $8.5 trillion in revenue loss.
Academia must position itself to train the talent pipeline for jobs of the future by using digital twins in the classroom and collaborating with industry leaders and government officials to understand how to overcome the lack of well-trained workers.
Creating Future Skilled Workers
Several colleges and universities offer digital twin classes and certifications. These courses provide an understanding of the technology, implementation, and uses and a look at future trends in technology and employment.
Digital twins require several proficiencies, including CAD, programming, cloud computing, IoT, edge device maintenance, data analytics, cybersecurity, and logistics. Some areas will be used directly with a company's digital twin project, while others will be used adjacent to the platform. For example, a hardware specialist who maintains a production line's sensors and 3D cameras might not be assigned directly to work on a digital twin project. Still, the data those edge devices collect is crucial to creating a successful simulation.
Read our Integr8 2024 Digital Twin Recommendations for Academia in full here.
