🤖 Advanced Manufacturing #1
HolonIQ is tracking reskilling and upskilling efforts as automation, robotics, and AI reshape the industry. With demand for specialized skills accelerating, continuous learning is key to driving innovation, boosting efficiency, and building a future-ready workforce.
This week in the Advanced Manufacturing sector, India’s MSMEs are showing strong confidence, with 40% planning workforce expansion in the next quarter. The sector leads the economy in business optimism, driven by expectations of stronger demand and improved access to skilled labor. Meanwhile, Europe faces critical labor shortages in automation, AI, and robotics, creating global opportunities for skilled workers with fast-tracked EU work visas.
In North America, GM is cutting 800 jobs at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico due to a slowdown in Honda’s Prologue production, reflecting shifting EV market dynamics. Despite these trends, US manufacturing employment has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, though growth remains uneven, favoring small urban countries and the electronics sector. To address workforce gaps, New York’s ON-RAMP program is investing $200M in manufacturing training hubs. In addition, Vermont has secured $23.7M in federal funding for semiconductor workforce development, while Mississippi’s AiM UP initiative will deliver industry-driven training to keep its workforce competitive in advanced manufacturing. Finally, India’s Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Skill India Programme with a $1.06B outlay.
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Advanced Manufacturing Labor Market Trends
📈 MSMEs in the Indian Manufacturing Sector Show Strong Optimism, Plan Workforce Expansion. A recent SIDBI report reveals that almost 40% of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across manufacturing, services, and trading sectors plan to increase their workforce in the next quarter, with manufacturing showing the highest confidence score in business conditions, with a Business Confidence (M-BCI) Index of 60.33. The Manufacturing Business Expectation Index (M-BEI) also projects continued optimism, with expectations for higher sales, profitability, and access to skilled labor.
🚂 Europe Faces Labour Shortages in Advanced Manufacturing, Creating Global Opportunities. The Cedefop LSSI 2025 report highlights significant labor shortages in Europe’s advanced manufacturing sector, driven by automation, AI, and sustainability demands. There is a high need for skilled engineers, machine operators, and 3D printing and robotics specialists. As Europe seeks global talent to fill these gaps, opportunities are available for skilled workers, particularly those in emerging technologies, with fast-tracked EU work visas.
🧑🔬 GM Cuts Jobs Amid Honda’s Prologue Production Slowdown. GM has reduced shifts at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico by one-third, impacting the production of the Chevrolet Equinox EV and the Honda Prologue. The decision, prompted by Honda’s reduction in Prologue output despite strong sales, could lead to the loss of 800 jobs. GM is adjusting its production mix, focusing on gasoline-powered models like the Blazer while responding to shifting consumer demand in the EV market. This move highlights broader industry challenges, as even top-performing models like the Prologue face uncertainty.
US Manufacturing Employment Reaches Pre-Pandemic Levels
🧑🏭 US manufacturing employment has fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with almost 12.9 million workers by late 2024. However, this recovery masks significant regional disparities. While states like Texas, Florida, and Utah have seen strong manufacturing growth, the Rust Belt and rural areas lag.
📊 Additionally, job growth in manufacturing has been slower post-pandemic, with small urban counties driving most of the sector’s gains and industries like electronics growing notably faster.
📆 Until late 2024, in every economic expansion since the late 1970s, the US manufacturing sector has failed to recover the jobs lost during the previous recession
Upskilling/Reskilling Initiatives
⚒️ New York’s ON-RAMP Initiative Expands Advanced Manufacturing Upskilling at Saint Rose Campus. Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $200 million expansion of the ON-RAMP workforce initiative, converting a building at Albany’s former Saint Rose campus into a regional advanced manufacturing training hub. Partnering with industry leaders like GlobalFoundries, Regeneron, and GE, the program will provide skills training, apprenticeships, and job placement. With $40 million allocated per site, Albany, Rochester, and Utica join Syracuse in strengthening New York’s advanced manufacturing talent pipeline.
🧑💻 Vermont’s $23M Initiative Expands Semiconductor Workforce and Gallium Nitride Chip Training. Vermont has secured $23.7 million in federal funding to develop its semiconductor workforce and manufacturing capabilities through the V-GaN Tech Hub. Led by the University of Vermont, GlobalFoundries, and the state government, the initiative involves K-12 and adult upskilling programs, a semiconductor design center, and a testing lab. The program aims to train 500 workers and engage 6,000 students, positioning Vermont as a gallium nitride semiconductor production leader.
🏭 MSU, EMCC Partner to Upskill Mississippi’s Workforce in Advanced Manufacturing. Mississippi State University and East Mississippi Community College have formalized their AiM UP partnership at the Communiversity to expand advanced manufacturing workforce training. This initiative bridges academia and industry, equipping workers with critical skills through employer-driven training programs. Supported by MSU’s engineering and research centers, AiM UP integrates cutting-edge technology and innovation, ensuring Mississippi’s workforce remains competitive in the evolving global manufacturing sector.
Policy Initiatives
📃 Indian Cabinet Approves $1.06B Extension of Skill India Programme. The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation and restructuring of the Skill India Programme until 2026, allocating $1.06B to enhance workforce development through technology-driven, industry-aligned training. The initiative integrates PMKVY 4.0, PM-NAPS, and JSS, focusing on reskilling, apprenticeships, and community-based learning. PMKVY 4.0 offers 400+ specialized courses in AI, cybersecurity, and green hydrogen, while PM-NAPS provides stipend-supported apprenticeships. With 22.7 million beneficiaries to date, the program underscores the government’s commitment to future-proofing India’s workforce.
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