Pre-Conference Workshop Day

• What proven low-cost or no-cost tools, delivery methods, and content formats have other manufacturers successfully used to train and engage frontline employees at scale?
• How have manufacturing organizations replicated the benefits of immersive technologies like VR and AR using more accessible, cost-effective alternatives that still deliver strong engagement and performance outcomes?
• What strategies, frameworks, and real-world examples can help L&D teams in manufacturing prioritize training investments, streamline implementation, and measure the business impact of their programs?

• Where in your current training strategy are costs creating barriers, and what quick-win initiatives could reduce spend without sacrificing quality?
• How can you repurpose existing resources, such as internal SMEs, peer-led learning, and microlearning, to scale engagement at minimal cost?
• What low-cost alternatives to immersive technologies (e.g. VR/AR) can replicate experiential learning and deliver measurable performance outcomes?
• How can you prioritize training investments using frameworks that link learning objectives to business impact, such as defect reduction, safety compliance, or productivity gains?

• Reducing new hire turnover by 35% through a start-to-finish approach that integrates assessments, structured onboarding, and 30-60-90-day evaluations, saving an estimated $250K annually in recruitment and training costs
• Closing critical skills gaps and strengthening succession planning with a future-proofing exercise that aligns workforce capabilities to 2030 business goals, while transitioning to a cross-functional pay-for-skill model that boosts productivity and retention
• Leveraging external partnerships and tools, including LinkedIn Learning and targeted frontline leadership training, to accelerate development, improve leadership readiness, and deliver measurable ROI through higher engagement and reduced operational downtime

• What strategies help organizations integrate assessments, structured onboarding, and pay-for-skill models into talent development?
• How can future-proofing exercises align workforce capabilities with long-term business goals without disrupting current operations?
• What role do external partnerships and digital learning platforms play in accelerating development and leadership readiness?
• How can organizations measure the ROI of skills-based strategies beyond turnover, such as productivity, engagement, and succession readiness?

• Where in your current talent strategy are gaps in skills or succession planning creating risk, and what quick-win initiatives could address them?
• How can you leverage assessments, structured onboarding, and pay-for-skill frameworks to boost retention and engagement?
• What governance mechanisms (e.g. turnover reduction, skill proficiency dashboards, leadership readiness metrics) can track success and sustain impact?
• How can you position skills-based workforce planning as a strategic lever for competitiveness and future growth?

• Addressing long-term succession risk by redesigning operations leadership pipelines across Amsted Rail’s 20-site heavy manufacturing footprint, where traditional promotion paths were falling short
• Using structured talent roundtables, role-specific capability assessments, and individual development plans to identify, prepare, and track high-potential leaders for critical plant and general manager roles
• Designing and launching a two-year Operations Academy focused on building strategic, financial, and people leadership skills, with strong executive alignment, tailored curriculum design, and site-level readiness plans

• What strategies help organizations move beyond ad-hoc promotions to a systematic approach for identifying and preparing future leaders?
• How can talent roundtables and capability assessments be embedded into workforce planning without slowing operational priorities?
• What role does executive sponsorship and tailored curriculum design play in ensuring leadership development aligns with business goals?
• How can organizations measure the impact of succession programs beyond readiness, such as retention, engagement, and plant-level performance?

• Where in your current succession planning process are gaps creating risk, and what quick-win initiatives could address them?
• How can you leverage structured development plans and site-level readiness metrics to accelerate leadership capability?
• What governance mechanisms, such as pipeline conversion rates, competency dashboards, and leadership performance indicators, can track progress and sustain impact?
• How can you position your Operations Academy as a strategic lever for competitiveness and long-term growth?

In this interactive session, each group will identify their most pressing L&D challenge, whether it’s scaling training, embedding learning into operations, or future-proofing skills. Then, you’ll swap challenges with another group and collaborate to develop practical, experience-driven recommendations. Finally, all groups will reconvene to share insights, compare solutions, and leave with actionable ideas to strengthen L&D strategies across manufacturing.

• Designing a workforce development strategy that spans the full continuum, from school STEM engagement in the Innovation Studio to internships, co-ops, apprenticeships, and early career rotational programs, creating awareness and interest in manufacturing careers
• Scaling outreach to thousands of K–6 students annually through hands-on robotics, CAD design, and circuitry activities, while expanding middle school and high school events to strengthen community connections and career readiness
• With a goal of hiring 20% of their roles via classroom-to-colleague that secures early talent with offers months ahead of graduation; driving measurable impact with an early career retention rate of nearly 80% over the last ten years, and an overall 60% hiring from within strategy, they have created a reverse age curve and developed sustainable talent pipelines that position Endress+Hauser as a leader in workforce development

• What approaches help organizations create a talent pipeline that spans STEM outreach, internships, apprenticeships, and early career programs?
• How can manufacturers scale community engagement without overextending resources or losing focus on operational priorities?
• What role do structured career pathways and rotational programs play in reducing time-to-fill and improving retention?
• How can organizations measure the long-term impact of early engagement initiatives on workforce readiness and diversity?

• Where in your current workforce strategy are gaps in early engagement or career progression creating risk, and what quick-win initiatives could address them?
• How can you leverage partnerships with schools, community organizations, and industry groups to scale outreach effectively?
• What governance mechanisms (e.g. intern-to-hire conversion rates, time-to-fill metrics, diversity KPIs) can track success and sustain impact?
• How can you position early engagement programs as a strategic lever for long-term competitiveness and talent security?

• Defining the future of work through MxD’s Workforce Readiness Playbooks, which outline critical roles, skills, and competencies manufacturers will need in 1-10 years, addressing a gap where 70% of manufacturers fail to plan beyond 18 months
• Partnering with leading manufacturers to apply these insights in futureproofing exercises that restructure workstreams for digital transformation, accelerate succession planning, and close skills gaps before they impact operations
• Delivering measurable impact by enabling proactive workforce planning, improving retention, and reducing turnover costs, helping manufacturers build resilient talent pipelines and avoid costly skill shortages in an era of rapid technological change

• What strategies help organizations anticipate future roles, skills, and competencies beyond the typical 12–18-month planning horizon?
• How can manufacturers integrate futureproofing exercises into workforce planning without disrupting current operations?
• What role do playbooks, scenario planning, and digital transformation initiatives play in closing skills gaps before they impact productivity?
• How can organizations measure the ROI of long-term workforce planning beyond retention, such as readiness for automation, succession strength, and operational agility?

• Where in your current planning process are short-term priorities overshadowing long-term talent needs, and what quick-win initiatives could address this?
• How can you leverage tools like workforce readiness playbooks and partnerships to accelerate future-focused planning?
• What governance mechanisms (e.g. skills gap dashboards, succession metrics, digital readiness indicators) can track progress and sustain impact?
• How can you position futureproofing as a strategic lever for competitiveness in an era of rapid technological change?

• Responding to sudden U.S. immigration policy changes that threatened H-1B visa holders and imposed unexpected financial and operational risks, impacting 80% of ASM’s engineering talent pipeline and nearly 40% of its U.S. R&D workforce
• Launching a cross-functional Talent Task Force to manage immediate compliance, mitigate multi-million-dollar exposure, and ensure continuity for employees stranded abroad during policy uncertainty
• Driving long-term impact by redesigning workforce planning to reduce dependency risk, diversify visa strategies, and strengthen global mobility, positioning ASM to sustain innovation and protect critical niche engineering skills in a volatile regulatory environment

• What strategies help organizations mitigate dependency risk on visa programs and global mobility?
• How can cross-functional task forces accelerate compliance and continuity during sudden policy changes?
• What role does workforce diversification and scenario planning play in reducing operational and financial exposure?
• How can organizations measure the ROI of resilience strategies beyond compliance, such as retention, innovation continuity, and risk reduction?

• Where in your current workforce planning are vulnerabilities tied to visa dependency, and what quick-win initiatives could address them?
• How can you leverage partnerships, diversified sourcing, and global mobility frameworks to strengthen resilience?
• What governance mechanisms (e.g. compliance dashboards, risk exposure metrics, talent continuity KPIs) can track success and sustain impact?
• How can you position immigration resilience as a strategic lever for innovation and operational stability?

In this interactive session, each group will identify their most pressing HR challenge, whether it’s retention, engagement, or workforce planning. Then, you’ll swap challenges with another group and collaborate to develop practical, experience-driven recommendations. Finally, all groups will reconvene to share insights, compare solutions, and leave with actionable ideas to strengthen HR strategies across manufacturing.