Where the Jobs Are: Digital and LEAN Manufacturing Technologies Increase Productivity, Create Need for Additional Skill Sets from Workforce

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Increases in productivity attributed to digital and LEAN manufacturing are driving changes in manufacturing processes and requiring additional training for workers. Siemens is seeking to fill around 1,000 open positions, but there are challenges in finding candidates with the right skill sets to fill positions that require proficiencies in advanced manufacturing technologies.

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"Today's factory is very different from a factory 10 or even five years ago," said Helmuth Ludwig, CEO of Siemens Industry, North America. "We're developing increasingly sophisticated controls, motors and drives and they are being built using high-tech methods and require advanced IT skills and knowledge of program design and software development. Across the United States, Siemens is now hiring nearly as many software engineers as companies like Microsoft."

Siemens has seen its Industry orders increase in the double-digits for the first nine months of its fiscal year, and the trend towards solutions that provide increased productivity is clear, even in its own sites. Siemens Industry's Motors plant in Norwood, Ohio was able to use more efficient, LEAN manufacturing processes to drive growth and job creation. After investing in new machinery and equipment, including digital manufacturing tools, the plant was able to reduce the lead time of their motors by 20 percent and increase overall efficiencies by 35 percent. Additional orders were received, including an order to supply Amtrak with efficient motor components for trains servicing the Northeast Corridor, resulting in new jobs in Norwood.

In some instances, advanced manufacturing processes can lead to more efficient products and increased business growth, but there is also a need for the workforce to employ the necessary skill sets to successfully work with digital technologies used in manufacturing sites across the country.

"Historically, there has been one set of tools for designing products and a separate set of tools for manufacturing them. Looking into the future, we are seeing these tools come together by unifying product and production design. This will make manufacturing more fluid and innovative, but will require additional understanding of how to use this type of software," said Ludwig. "The old manufacturing jobs are not coming back and Siemens will continue to invest in education and training to get people prepared to fill the high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the future."

Siemens invests more than $500 million worldwide in job training and education programs and has initiated job training programs in the U.S. to train and foster the skill sets necessary for today's workforce.

Siemens is looking for electrical and mechanical engineers, project managers, CNC programmers and candidates familiar with LEAN manufacturing and/or Six Sigma productivity principles.  Open positions can be found by visiting http://www.usa.siemens.com/en/jobs_careers.htm.

Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. For more than 160 years, Siemens has built a reputation for leading-edge innovation and the quality of its products, services and solutions. With 405,000 employees in 190 countries, Siemens reported worldwide revenue of $102.9 billion in fiscal 2010. Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $19.9 billion and employs approximately 62,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. For more information on Siemens in the United States, visit www.usa.siemens.com.  

SOURCE Siemens Corporation