Automation is the key in today's clothes industry, from design and manufacture to the ultimate sales technique. However, it has drawbacks. Despite the many benefits automation brings to fast global market production and efficiency, the road to transformation is filled with uncertainty and fear. This article explores whether your workers and machinery are ready for the factory's transition to automation.
What is Automation in Clothing?
When it comes to automation, the first thing that comes to mind is a large number of robotic arms and conveyor belts automatically working on manufacturing (this is a utopian vision). Unfortunately, while the dream is lovely, the clothing industry has yet to reach this position.
Automation in the garment industry primarily involves using machines combined with software to complete tasks traditionally done by human labour. This includes cutting fabric, sewing, and even quality control tasks. The degree of automation varies, ranging from semi-automated systems requiring human monitoring to fully automated systems operating independently.
The push for these automation technologies primarily comes from advances in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies improve the precision, consistency, and speed of garment production, thereby increasing overall efficiency and productivity.
How Automation Changes Jobs
The introduction of automation will impact jobs in any industry. Here are some of the main impacts:
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Changes in job positions: automation will lead to job changes, especially for low-skilled workers engaged in repetitive work. These jobs are quickly replaced by automation. For example, sewing and cutting tasks that used to be done manually can now be done by machines.
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Job transformation: although some jobs may be replaced by automation, many will transform. Workers may need to transition from manual labour to monitoring and maintaining automated systems, which requires learning new skills and training.
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Wage disparity: with the automation brought about by technological progress, machines replace low-tech jobs, and employment opportunities are hollowed out in the short term. However, it has created more job opportunities for high-skilled work, which causes a phenomenon known as the disappearance of mid-tier skills, i.e., the number of high-end and low-end job opportunities is increasing. Still, the number of medium-skilled job opportunities is decreasing, further widening the wage gap, especially for workers in high-tech industries. The market needs to consider addressing these changes through skills retraining and market adjustment, seeking more equitable and sustainable economic development.
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Creating new job opportunities: although some people worry that automation will lead to job losses, in fact, in the long term, automation can also create new jobs. These new jobs are usually in technical development, maintenance, data analysis, and quality control. For instance, automation technology will significantly increase the amount of data generated in the clothing manufacturing process. Data analysis can optimise production processes, reduce waste, improve product quality, etc. Therefore, data analysts will be needed to interpret these data and make improvement suggestions. Or automated systems require regular maintenance and repairs to ensure their normal operation. This means more maintenance engineers or technicians will be needed to care for these machines.
Reducing Labor Market Anxiety About Automation
It is crucial for stakeholders in the apparel industry to proactively address and solve the potential negative employment impacts of automation. Here are some strategies that can be adopted:
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Skills enhancement and retraining: faced with the shift in skills demand, businesses should invest in their employees' retraining and skills enhancement. This may include training programs that help workers acquire new skills to work synergistically with automation systems or transition into new roles.
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Two-way dialogue and labour protection: open discussions are necessary, including conversations among employers, workers, and trade unions, to address potential issues and negotiate terms that protect employees. This may involve fair severance schemes, job transition services, and social protection measures.
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Strategies for everyone's growth: both businesses and governments can focus on inclusive growth strategies to ensure that the benefits of automation are widely shared. This might require investing in local communities, promoting innovation, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses.
Future Jobs in Clothing Industry
The apparel industry of the future will be deeply affected by automation. Particularly for low-skilled jobs, this impact could result in some roles being replaced by automation. However, workers will still retain their place. For instance, some highly custom-made garments, such as wedding dresses, suits, and evening gowns, still require fine human craftsmanship and advanced skills, which are irreplaceable by machines.
For low- to mid-skilled workers, the advent of automation may threaten their careers. However, we can see that new technologies also allow workers to learn new skills. Human involvement is still indispensable, especially in quality control, machine maintenance, and management. Therefore, these new demands will continue creating new job market opportunities.
To help low- to mid-skilled workers transition, we can assist them in adapting to the new demands of automation by providing skills training. Governments and businesses can collaborate to offer such training, such as teaching how to operate and maintain new automation equipment and conducting basic data analysis training. In addition, career counselling can help workers find new job opportunities or the possibility of starting a business. The government can provide financial aid during the transition period to alleviate workers' financial pressure.
Conclusion
Our challenges are profound and complex, including an ageing population structure, slowing birth rates, and the urgent need for industrial upgrades. In this context, introducing automation and artificial intelligence will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects on the labour market, which could impact individual physical and mental health. It might even trigger social unrest and political issues.
In this transition process, we need the concerted efforts of companies, governments, and individuals. We need to educate and train workers to help them adapt to new technologies; we need companies to take appropriate measures to ensure a smooth transition; and we need governments to provide assistance and support to safeguard the interests of society as a whole.
This is where Oshima comes into play. As a leader in automated equipment for the apparel industry, Oshima is committed to providing high-quality automation equipment to assist the industry in a smooth transition. More importantly, Oshima offers professional technical support and training to ensure workers can effectively use new equipment, thereby gaining new employment opportunities. In this way, Oshima not only drives the automation transformation of the industry but also creates new possibilities for workers' future.
The trend of automation and artificial intelligence is irreversible. Still, if we take appropriate measures, we can ensure that this transformation can benefit everyone, not just a tiny part of the population. After all, this change isn't just about technology but also society.
Referenceshttps://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_835423.pdf
