What Matt Kirchner Taught Us About Preparing the Next Generation of Manufacturing Professionals

The manufacturing industry talks a lot about workforce shortages.

But after sitting down with Matt Kirchner (manufacturing executive, educator, host of The TechEd Podcast, and longtime advocate for technical education) we came away with a different perspective.

The issue isn't simply that there aren't enough people.

It's that the expectations of schools, employers, and young professionals have changed, and not always together.

Our conversation covered everything from hiring and workplace culture to Industry 4.0 and education. Here are the biggest takeaways.

1. Technical skills and workplace skills are both essential

One of the strongest points Matt made was that employers often create a false choice.

He frequently hears employers say:

"We just want people who show up to work, stay off drugs, and take direction. We'll teach them everything else."

But then he asks a follow-up question.

If you had the choice between someone who only shows up every day (or someone who also understands electrical systems, PLCs, motion control, HMIs, quality, lean manufacturing, safety, and automation) which would you choose?

The answer is always obvious.

As Matt put it, this isn't an either/or discussion.

It's an and.

Students need workplace skills and technical competencies.

2. Schools and employers need to communicate better

Matt believes educators sometimes misunderstand what industry is asking for.

When employers simplify hiring requirements down to reliability and attitude, schools can mistakenly conclude that technical education isn't as important anymore.

But that's not what manufacturers actually mean.

Companies still need employees with automation, controls, robotics, electrical, and manufacturing knowledge.

They also need people who know how to communicate, collaborate, solve problems, and work professionally.

Those conversations between education and industry need to become much more specific.

3. Workplace expectations aren't always obvious anymore

One of the most memorable stories Matt shared involved a college intern.

The student walked into his office and announced he wouldn't be at work on Friday because his family was taking a vacation.

He wasn't asking.

He was informing.

Matt didn't get angry.

Instead, he used it as a teaching moment.

He explained that there was nothing wrong with taking time off, but employees have to ask for the day off rather than simply informing their employer they won't be there.

It sounds simple.

But Matt believes many young professionals missed opportunities to learn these workplace expectations during the COVID years, when internships, summer jobs, in-person school, and early work experiences were disrupted.

Rather than assuming new employees should already know these expectations, employers have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to teach them.

4. Employers need patience just as much as employees need coaching

Matt made an important point that often gets overlooked.

If employers expect today's 18- or 20-year-olds to enter the workforce exactly the way previous generations did, they're going to be disappointed.

The world has changed.

Instead of immediately disciplining or terminating employees over workplace mistakes, leaders should explain what's expected.

As Matt described it, employers need to help people learn where the boundaries are.

Correct the behavior.

Teach the expectations.

Then give people the opportunity to improve.

That investment benefits everyone.

5. Job hopping still matters

Matt was candid about how he reviews resumes.

One of the first things he notices is how long candidates stay in each position.

If someone has held six jobs in eight years, he admitted they're unlikely to receive a first interview at one of his companies.

His reasoning isn't about loyalty for loyalty's sake.

Manufacturing companies invest heavily in training.

In many roles, it takes close to a year before a new employee fully understands the products, customers, systems, and culture well enough to create significant value.

If someone consistently leaves after a short period, that investment becomes difficult to justify.

He also acknowledged that COVID created unusual circumstances and that employers should show grace for that period. But outside of those exceptions, stability still matters.

6. Manufacturing careers need to start much earlier

One of Matt's biggest concerns is when career conversations begin.

Too often, schools introduce manufacturing careers during a student's junior or senior year of high school.

By then, many students have already decided what careers are (or aren't) for them.

Matt pointed out that many young people begin forming career identities as early as fifth or sixth grade.

For many girls especially, they may already decide engineering or manufacturing "isn't for me" long before anyone introduces them to modern manufacturing.

If we want to change the future workforce, exposure has to happen much earlier.

7. Industry 4.0 changes what students need to learn

When Matt helped develop educational resources around Industry 4.0, the goal wasn't simply to teach students about new technology.

It was to rethink how manufacturing education itself should work.

Today's manufacturing professionals need to understand what Matt describes as the Edge-to-Cloud Continuum.

That includes:

• Smart sensors and connected devices
• PLCs and industrial controls
• Human-machine interfaces (HMIs)
• Industrial networking
• Cybersecurity
• Cloud platforms
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning

Manufacturing careers increasingly require understanding how all of these technologies work together, not just how individual machines operate.

8. Real-world experience is still one of the best teachers

Throughout the conversation, Nikki shared stories about working in her father's business from middle school through college.

She rotated through marketing, accounting, customer service, invoicing, documentation, and operations.

Matt loved hearing those experiences because they reinforce something he strongly believes:

There is no substitute for doing the work.

Internships, summer jobs, apprenticeships, work-based learning, and early exposure help students discover not only what they're good at, but what they enjoy.

Those lessons are difficult to replicate in a classroom alone.

Final Thoughts

One thing became clear throughout our conversation with Matt:

Preparing the next generation of manufacturing professionals isn't the responsibility of schools alone.

Students need opportunities to build technical knowledge and workplace skills.

Educators need stronger partnerships with industry.

Employers need to invest in teaching, not just hiring.

And all of us need to introduce young people to modern manufacturing long before they're choosing careers.

As Matt reminded us, manufacturing today isn't simply about making products.

It's increasingly about technology, problem-solving, continuous learning, and helping people grow alongside rapidly evolving industries.

What was your biggest takeaway from our conversation with Matt Kirchner?

If you work in manufacturing, education, or workforce development, we'd love to hear your perspective in the comments.