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These studies illustrate the complexity of the upskilling task facing manufacturing sector Learning and Development( L & D) managers. The complex scenarios add urgency to the fundamental question of how manufacturers can meet the balance of AI-driven and human skills required amid today’ s unpredictable trading conditions, fast-changing working models, and pressure on skills budgets.

The underlying context is that as manufacturing invests in more technologyintensive operations, individual companies will make greater use of multiple data sets, new workflows and multi-team collaborations, demanding higher-order human skills, to successfully collaborate and innovate. World Economic Forum research found that seven out of ten firms regard analytical thinking as an essential skill; many L & D teams find analytical reasoning the key subset for upskilling.

In these conditions, achieving a balance of human and technical skills is essential to manufacturers to drive efficiencies, keep innovating and raise productivity. The World Economic Forum calculates that organizations investing in human capital alongside their technology capabilities can raise productivity

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