What is Manufacturing?

In your social studies class, you've likely studied the industrial revolution and the impact that had it on America and American families.

1. Discuss the following with your group and be prepared to share your ideas with the whole class.

• What is your definition of manufacturing?
• What would the inside of a manufacturing facility look like?
• What kind of work would people be doing in a factory?
• What are some examples of factories in your community?

Have different groups share their answers to one or more of these questions.  It is likely that students think of factories as dark places where people do repetitive jobs. Students may not realize that manufacturing can also include manufacturing food, medicine, and books...in general manufacturing involves making any sort of product. A product can also be a part that is then sold or shipped to another manufacturing facility where it is then used to make something else. Manufacturing facilities (aka factories) can be very large or they can be very small.

2.  Let's explore what is happening in a variety of factories during the 4th Industrial Revolution.  Watch this video with the sound muted.  As you watch the video keep in mind the following questions: 

• What are workers doing?
• What equipment are they interacting with?
• What skills do they need?

3.  Share your observations with your group. Be sure to share anything that surprised you or something you wonder about.  Select one person in your group to share your group's response to this prompt.   

In 4th industrial revolution factories, workers __________________ equipment like ____________. Some of the most important skills needed are ____________________.

Be sure to point out the following if it is not brought up by students: workers interact directly with high-tech equipment like robots, computer-controlled machines using computers, hand-held devices, screens...etc.  Most of the really redundant, dangerous work is now done by machines. However, the machines are all managed by humans. The 4th industrial revolution is driven by human/machine interactions. This means that there will be lots of new jobs available for people who know enough to tell a machine what to do or know what to do if a machine stops working. The technologies of the 4th industrial revolution include Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), robotics, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

4.  Rewatch the video with the sound on and be prepared to share what you think the speakers in the video mean by the phrase "skill up" or "skills gap"? Skills gap refers to current employees not having the skills needed to engage with and manage Industry 4.0 technology. Skills up also refer to the ongoing challenge of constantly having to learn new skills to engage with new technologies.

Reflect and Apply

There are tremendous career opportunities available for individuals who are willing to learn how to work with and alongside Industry 4.0 technologies (see Figure 1 - Cog 4).

Figure 1:  Industrial Revolutions

Individuals with even minimal Industry 4.0 knowledge and skills can be a part of creating new products that enhance any aspect of life including healthcare, the environment, space exploration, clothing, sports, and music. The field of Advanced Manufacturing is looking for innovative individuals like you!! Which Industry 4.0 technologies might you begin to explore and learn more about? 

Learn more about the history of industrial revolutions:

Web Link - What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?: | CNBC Explains