🤖 Advanced Manufacturing #20
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 Advanced Manufacturing, Lucid expanded its Arizona EV facilities, adding up to 500 skilled jobs, while Yaskawa America announced a $180M Wisconsin investment creating 700+ jobs in robotics and solar components. The UK committed $340M to clean-tech Research & Development, boosting aerospace innovation and green aviation jobs.
Upskilling efforts are gaining momentum as Bowling Green State University trains 120+ professionals in robotics and AI, India scales welding programs integrating Industry 4.0 skills, and JetZero partners with North Carolina community colleges to upskill workers for its $4.7B aerospace facility, creating 14,500+ jobs. On the policy front, Karnataka unveiled a $90B advanced manufacturing strategy aiming to create 2 million jobs over five years, focusing on semiconductors, EVs, aerospace, and green manufacturing, supported by new institutes, incentives, streamlined approvals, and workforce development initiatives.
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Advanced Manufacturing Labor Market Trends
⚡ Lucid Expands Arizona Facilities to Boost EV Manufacturing and Workforce Growth. Lucid Group has expanded its EV manufacturing capabilities in Arizona by acquiring former Nikola facilities in Phoenix and Coolidge. The sites will support vehicle production, battery and environmental testing, and development of Lucid’s midsize platform. Integrated with its Casa Grande factory, the expansion will create up to 500 high-skilled jobs over a period of 3 to 5 years, advancing Arizona’s role in clean-tech and advanced manufacturing.
⚙️ Yaskawa America to Invest $180M in Wisconsin Facility, Creating 700+ Advanced Manufacturing Jobs. Yaskawa America plans to invest $180 million to consolidate and expand its operations in Franklin, Wisconsin, including manufacturing and training facilities. Supported by up to $18 million in state tax credits, the initiative aims to create over 700 jobs, strengthening Wisconsin’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem in robotics and solar components while driving skilled labor growth to support the domestic clean-tech industry’s rapid expansion.
🛩️ The UK Commits $340M to Clean Tech Innovation, Driving Growth in Aerospace Manufacturing and Jobs. The UK government is investing $340M in R&D to promote greener air travel, funding projects from Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and other emerging companies. The funding targets zero-emission aircraft, hydrogen fuel systems, and lightweight materials. This initiative aims to strengthen the aerospace supply chain, foster advanced manufacturing, and create new skilled jobs, supporting the country’s transition to sustainable aviation.
Automotive Industry Leads US Robotics Demand
🚗 Automotive continues to dominate US robot demand, accounting for the largest share of industrial robot installations in 2022–2024, despite a slight dip in 2023.
📈 Overall, robot installations in the US dipped in 2023, but the rebound in 2024 suggests resilient long-term demand as industries continue investing in automation to boost productivity and handle labor shortages.
📦 Food and chemical sectors maintained steady adoption, signaling growing interest in automating packaging, safety compliance, and hygiene-sensitive production lines
Upskilling/Reskilling Initiatives
🤖BGSU Trains 120+ Professionals and Educators to Enhance Advanced Manufacturing Skills. Bowling Green State University is upskilling over 120 industry professionals through federally funded microcredential programs focused on advanced manufacturing and robotics. This six-week training covers robotics, AI, additive manufacturing, and smart technologies. By equipping educators to reach nearly 6,500 students over three years, the program strengthens the regional workforce and supports the evolving needs of the advanced manufacturing sector.
🏗️India Scales Welding Upskilling to Support Industry 4.0 Workforce Needs. India is advancing welding training programs that integrate TIG/MIG techniques, robotics, and AI-driven tools to equip students and early-career workers for Industry 4.0. Through hands-on and simulation-based modules, the initiative addresses skill shortages in fabrication, clean-tech, and infrastructure sectors. It focuses on enhancing employability, aligning technical education with industry demands, and supporting a projected $1.85 billion welding equipment market by 2030.
⚓JetZero Partners with N.C. Community Colleges to Train Workforce for $4.7B Aerospace Facility. JetZero’s $4.7B aerospace facility in Greensboro will create 14,500+ jobs, supported by a $30M customized training program led by North Carolina Community Colleges. Through the NCEdge initiative and Guilford Technical College, the program provides tailored upskilling in advanced manufacturing and aviation, with hands-on training and workforce assessments, ensuring a skilled workforce for one of North Carolina’s largest industrial projects.
Policy Initiatives
🏭 India Launches Advanced Manufacturing Push with $90B Investment Goal and 2M Job Target. Karnataka’s new industrial strategy targets $90B in investments and 2 million jobs over five years, focusing on semiconductors, EVs, aerospace, and robotics. Initiatives include skill-based technical education, a proposed Advanced Manufacturing Institute, R&D-linked incentives, and green manufacturing subsidies. The policy also supports industrial townships, streamlined clearances, and sector-specific task forces to drive innovation, infrastructure, and workforce development across the state.
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