How to Hire for Qualified Complex Skills in Advanced Manufacturing 

This article originally appeared on Rob’s LinkedIn.

Advanced manufacturing relies on a highly skilled workforce to operate cutting-edge technologies. Hiring talent that already possesses these kinds of complex skills is one of the industry’s most significant challenges.

Simply put – traditional hiring methods require a shift.

Job descriptions that emphasize degrees over capabilities, lengthy recruitment processes, and a limited talent pool leave critical roles unfilled.

Considering some of these technologies didn’t exist 5 years ago, it’s impossible to find candidates with five years of experience. In fact, within the semiconductor space, the rate of change is even higher, with certain semiconductor companies re-tooling their tech stack every six months.

It’s become evident that a new approach is needed to attract, train, and retain specialized talent.

Why Complex Skills Are Hard to Source

Advanced manufacturing roles demand more than general technical knowledge that could be identified on a paper resume.

This will only continue to escalate as key challenges emerge:

• A disconnect between academic curriculum and the skills required for the jobs of today: Many degree programs lag as new technologies are introduced in real world work environments.
• Regional limitations: Manufacturing facilities in rural or small-town areas struggle to attract top talent.
• Aging workforce: As legacy team members retire, critical knowledge gaps emerge.

Adopting Skills-Based Hiring

The hiring landscape is undergoing a seismic shift.

For decades, the default approach has been to evaluate candidates based on degrees, years of experience, and traditional qualifications. In advanced manufacturing, this model is no longer sustainable.

The rapid pace of technological change demands a more precise and agile method: skills-based hiring.

This approach prioritizes what candidates can do, not just where they’ve been. By focusing on specific competencies, businesses are redefining the concept of a qualified candidate.

Skills-based hiring acknowledges that the best talent often comes from non-traditional pathways, including veterans, career-changers, and individuals with hands-on technical expertise gained outside conventional academic settings.

Why the Shift Matters:

Advanced manufacturing operates in a high-stakes environment where the cost of vacancies is measured in lost production and stalled innovation. Waiting for candidates with ideal resumes wastes valuable time.

Skills-based hiring is an approach that reduces the time it takes for a new hire to become an effective contributor.

Smoothstack’s Role in This Transformation:

We champion this modern hiring philosophy through our tailored Hire-Train-Deploy model. By recruiting high-aptitude candidates and delivering custom training aligned with each client’s needs, we close the gap between potential and performance. This results in a workforce prepared to thrive in complex, fast-paced environments.

How Smoothstack Solves Surge Hiring Challenges

The shift to skills-based hiring naturally aligns with the Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) approach, a model designed to address the practical realities of advanced manufacturing. While skills-based hiring focuses on identifying potential, HTD bridges the gap between a candidate’s baseline aptitude and the specific technical demands of the job.

Here’s how it works:

1. Talent Identification: Smoothstack sources candidates from a variety of backgrounds, focusing on aptitude, problem-solving ability, and adaptability rather than traditional credentials. This ensures access to high-potential individuals who may have been overlooked by conventional hiring methods.
2. Customized Training: Candidates undergo intensive, hands-on training tailored to the client’s unique environment. Whether it’s programming robotic systems, optimizing semiconductor fabrication processes, or mastering advanced automation tools, training programs are designed to match the exact technologies, workflows, and challenges the team will encounter.
3. Deployment to the Client: Once training is complete, candidates are deployed to the client with a greatly reduced ramp time to productivity. This eliminates the need for lengthy onboarding periods and ensures a fast track to technical proficiency.

Why HTD Works in Advanced Manufacturing

• Precision: Training focuses on the exact skills required, from using specific tools to understanding proprietary systems.
• Speed: The streamlined process reduces time-to-productivity compared to traditional hiring and training methods.
• Scalability: HTD is flexible, allowing companies to build entire cohorts of job-ready employees tailored to their operational needs.

By embedding the principles of skills-based hiring into the HTD model, Smoothstack not only solves immediate hiring challenges but also empowers companies to build sustainable, adaptable teams. This technical alignment ensures that every hire is both a strategic asset and a long-term investment.

This is because we structure our model to support your long-term workforce needs, with the goal of converting these trained candidates to full-time employees at no additional cost by the end of their contract.

Developing a Resilient Workforce

A forward-looking hiring strategy doesn’t just fill roles today—it prepares your team for future challenges.

Key ways to build resilience:

• Upskill existing employees: Offer training in emerging technologies like additive manufacturing and machine learning.
• Invest in mentorship programs: Pair experienced workers with new hires to transfer knowledge.
• Create cross-training opportunities: Equip employees to work across multiple roles to enhance flexibility.

Smoothstack supports these efforts with continuous learning programs tailored to your evolving needs, ensuring your workforce remains agile and innovative.

Shifting Your Complex Skills Hiring Strategy

Hiring for complex skills in advanced manufacturing requires a shift in strategy. By embracing skills-based hiring, leveraging workforce development partnerships, and investing in tailored training programs, companies can overcome today’s talent challenges and build for the future.

Smoothstack’s Hire-Train-Deploy model stands out as a reliable solution. We provide clients with custom-trained talent who fit seamlessly into their operations, delivering accelerated ROI and long-term value.