Looking ahead, AI is expected to impact virtually all aspects of the industry, through applications such as generative design, predictive maintenance, and supply chain automation. It is little surprise, then, that leaders and experts in the industry say that companies will increasingly need employees with a range of digital skills. Miro Lin of Fair Friend Group, a machine and equipment manufacturing firm, notes: “We need versatile talent with different capabilities—for example, people who are good at not only designing equipment but also programming and using analytical tools,” Lin says.
Industry certification data also shows the growing importance of digital skills in D&M. From 2021 to the end of 2023, there was a 100% increase in Autodesk’s D&M portfolio certifications, reflective of the D&M industry’s rising interest in digital tools.