Jobs Taxonomy: Defining Manufacturing Jobs of the Future

The digital revolution is opening up attractive, well-paying jobs for a new generation of manufacturing workers. To stay globally competitive, U.S. factories need a workforce with advanced training. Companies are looking to build a talent pipeline, workers need new skills to stay ahead of the curve, and educators are looking for guidance in creating new training programs.

Project Lead

ManpowerGroup
Supported by a team of more than 50 reviewers and subject matter experts across 30+ organizations

Outcome

In 2017, MxD and ManpowerGroup released a digital workforce taxonomy, a groundbreaking analysis that identified 165 new data-centric manufacturing jobs—roles like “collaborative robotics technician” and “predictive maintenance systems specialist.” The workforce playbook includes job role descriptions and educational requirements for each role. Universities have begun using the taxonomy to inform curriculum development, and the Dow Chemical Company used it as a key reference when staffing its new Digital Operations Center.