Manufacturing is changing quickly.
Businesses are under pressure to improve productivity, reduce downtime, increase consistency and stay competitive in a market where skilled labour can be hard to find. At the same time, technology is moving into more areas of the shopfloor, from automated production cells and industrial robots to programmable logic controllers and connected systems.
For many manufacturers, the question is no longer whether automation has a place in their business.
The bigger question is whether their workforce has the skills to use it properly.
That is why more employers are investing in automation, robotics, and skills training. The technology can make a clear difference, but only when people understand how to operate it safely, programme it correctly, maintain it effectively and use it to solve real production challenges.
Automation is becoming part of everyday manufacturing
Automation is no longer limited to large manufacturers with huge production lines.
More businesses are now looking at automation and robotics to support repeatable tasks, improve accuracy and make better use of their teams. Robots and automated cells are often used for areas such as assembly, welding, painting, material handling, dosing, loading, unloading and repetitive production tasks.
The reason is simple.
When the right task is automated, it can help businesses improve consistency, reduce manual strain and support more reliable output. It can also free up skilled employees to focus on work that needs judgement, technical knowledge and problem-solving.
For manufacturers dealing with tight tolerances, rising customer expectations and pressure on lead times, this matters.
Automation is not about removing the need for people. It is about changing the skills businesses need from their people.
Skills shortages are making upskilling more important
Many engineering and manufacturing businesses are finding it difficult to recruit the technical skills they need.
This makes training the existing workforce even more valuable. Rather than waiting to hire someone with every skill already in place, businesses can build capability from within.
Upskilling can support employees at different stages, from those who need a basic understanding of automated cells through to engineers and technicians looking to develop more advanced robotics, programming and PLC knowledge.
This is where automation, robotics, and skills training becomes a practical investment.
It gives employees the confidence to work with technology that is already appearing across modern manufacturing environments. It also helps businesses reduce their reliance on a small number of specialists, making teams more flexible and resilient.
Better trained teams can use technology more effectively
Buying new technology is only one part of the investment.
If employees do not feel confident using the equipment, the business may not get the full value from it. Automated systems can be underused, faults can take longer to resolve and teams may become dependent on external support for issues that could be handled internally with the right knowledge.
Training helps close that gap.
A well-trained team can better understand how robots and automated cells work, how to operate them safely, how to identify basic faults and how to keep production moving after an interruption.
For example, In-Comm Training’s automated cell operator course is designed for those with little or no understanding of industrial robots. It introduces basic robot operation, health and safety, programming methods, safe testing, fault finding and returning to production safely after equipment or system failure.
For businesses introducing automation for the first time, this type of training can be an important starting point.
Safety must be built into automation from the start
Robots and automated cells can support safer working environments by reducing the need for people to carry out repetitive, physically demanding or higher-risk tasks.
However, automation still needs to be managed safely.
Employees must understand hazards, operating procedures, safety barriers, maintenance requirements, risk controls and what to do when something does not work as expected. This is especially important when people are working around robot cells, sensors, end effectors and moving equipment.
Training helps employees understand not only how to use automated systems, but how to work around them responsibly.
In-Comm’s industrial robot technology course supports learners in understanding the operation and control of industrial robots, including health and safety, maintenance requirements, control principles, sensors and end effectors.
This helps businesses build confidence around automation while keeping safety at the centre of day-to-day operations.
Programming skills are becoming more valuable
As manufacturers use more automated systems, programming knowledge is becoming a stronger asset.
Employees who understand robot programming can help businesses adapt systems to different tasks, make improvements, support changeovers and reduce reliance on outside expertise for every adjustment.
This can be particularly valuable in environments where products, batches or production requirements change.
In-Comm’s programming of robotics course is designed to help learners develop robotic programmes specific to engineering tasks. It covers areas such as robotic systems safety, types of industrial robot, coordinate systems, manual operation, speed control, error recovery, intermediate robot programming, movement commands, tool commands, subroutines and optimisation techniques.
For employers, this can support a more capable workforce that understands how to apply robotics in a real manufacturing setting.
PLC knowledge supports stronger automation capability
Many automated systems rely on programmable logic controllers, also known as PLCs.
PLCs help control machinery, production equipment and automated processes. They are a key part of many modern manufacturing environments, particularly where robots, sensors, communication networks and control systems need to work together.
As automation becomes more connected, PLC knowledge can help teams understand how systems operate, how programmes are written, how faults can be identified and how automated processes can be improved.
In-Comm’s automation, robotics and programmable logic controllers course is designed for people looking to develop prior robotics knowledge. It covers PLC system operational characteristics, industrial communication networks, programming languages, testing and debugging PLC programmes, robot programming, sensors, end effectors, fault finding, safety features and the impact of Industry 4.0 on automation, robotics and PLCs.
This gives businesses a route to develop more advanced technical capability within their teams.
Training helps businesses future-proof their workforce
Technology will continue to develop, but businesses cannot rely on equipment alone to stay competitive.
The strongest results come when investment in technology is matched by investment in people. Employees need to understand the systems they are working with, feel confident using them and know how to apply their skills in real production environments.
This can support:
- Better productivity
- Safer use of automated systems
- Improved confidence on the shopfloor
- Faster fault identification
- Stronger programming knowledge
- Better use of robotics and PLCs
- More flexible, future-ready teams
For employers, automation, robotics, and skills training is not just about keeping up with new technology. It is about creating a workforce that can make the most of it.
Explore automation and robotics training with In-Comm
In-Comm Training offers a range of automation and robotics courses designed to help individuals and businesses develop practical skills for modern manufacturing environments.
Courses include:
- Automated Cell Operator Course
- Industrial Robot Technology Course, Level 3
- Programming of Robotics Course, Level 3
- Automation, Robotics and Programmable Logic Controllers Course, Level 4
Learners have access to In-Comm’s dedicated automation training facility at its Telford Academy, which includes ABB robots, an integrated Siemens PLC control system and a dosing system within a Kyrus guarding enclosure.
The courses are designed to support different levels of experience, from those getting started with automated cells through to learners progressing into more advanced robotics, programming and PLC skills.
Final thoughts
Automation and robotics are becoming an important part of modern manufacturing, but technology on its own is not enough.
Businesses need people who can understand it, operate it, programme it, maintain it and use it safely.
By investing in automation, robotics, and skills training, manufacturers can build stronger teams, improve confidence around new technology and prepare their workforce for the demands of the modern shopfloor.