The National Association of Manufacturers reports that there were more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs open in June 2025. The labor shortage has been an ongoing challenge, but like many other challenges manufacturers face, some of the best minds are tackling the issue, with industry leaders like ABB leading the way. In this episode of Manufacturing Matters, co-hosts Jimmy Carroll and Amanda Del Buono Lilley talk to ABB Robotics’ Christelle Keefer, Global Segment Manager for Education, to learn how to fill these openings and build a pipeline for the future. They discuss the roles industry, education, and communities play in manufacturing workforce development, and how manufacturers large and small can contribute. 

Jimmy Carroll: [00:00:03] Hello, everybody. My name is Jimmy Carroll. I’m the vice president of operations at Tech B2B Marketing. And welcome to this episode of the “Manufacturing Matters” podcast, where we aim to discuss the trends and technologies shaping the manufacturing industry today. On this episode, I have the pleasure of being joined by my colleague Amanda Del Buono Lilly and Christelle Keefer at ABB. Amanda, thanks obviously. And, Christelle, thank you so much for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

Christelle Keefer: [00:00:28] Awesome. Thanks for having me, jimmy and Amanda. Pleasure to be here.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:00:32] Well, thanks very much again, and I’m looking forward to asking you a bunch of questions. So I guess I’ll just start out with an easy one for you, though. Everyone knows about ABB, at least anyone tuning into this podcast would know about ABB, but tell us a little bit about what’s exciting right now for ABB, what you guys are doing, and what’s behind your passion for advancing automation through through education.

Christelle Keefer: [00:00:55] Sounds great. So I’m the global segment manager for education at ABB Robotics. And you mentioned my passion. So my passion really comes from knowing that today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and it’s our responsibility to help prepare them for success. You know, teachers play a vital role in building that foundation, but technology is advancing so quickly. So they also need support. And that’s where industry comes in. So what drives me is being able to connect education and industry, supporting teachers and students to really close the skills gap and build a stronger future.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:01:33] So to your point about your passion —— why is education and student outreach so important right now? And, how is it helping the workforce pipeline? You see this every day, but how is ABB actually affecting change there?

Christelle Keefer: [00:01:46] Yeah. So education and student outreach are really critical because we’re preparing students today for jobs that may not even exist yet. So really, the sooner we expose the students to automation, robotics, problem solving, the more comfortable they become with it. Think about how much easier it was for kids who grew up with tablets and computers to adapt, compared to someone trying to learn the technology later in life. Early exposure really, really builds confidence, curiosity, and a comfort level that helps create a stronger and more capable workforce. So, you know, given how many advanced manufacturing and technician roles are projected to go unfilled over the next decade, we really can’t afford to wait. And the pipeline depends on students being able to see themselves in these roles and having clear pathways through schools, through technical programs, and through apprenticeships.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:02:43] It’s such a good point, right? Like my niece, who is now 18 years old —— I remember her picking up my phone and figuring out how to navigate to Netflix to watch some cartoon when she was like 2 or 3. And my father, when he got his first smartphone, had to take a class on how to use it, right? So there’s a big gap there. And going back to the idea of making these jobs interesting for people —— so how can people do that? Because years ago —— maybe seven or eight years ago, or maybe going back even a little bit further —— people were afraid that robots were going to take their jobs. And since then, that’s kind of been dispelled. But it almost feels now like robots can help create jobs for people because young people might want to work alongside them. Would you agree with that?

Christelle Keefer: [00:03:33] Yeah, 100%. It’s all about enhancement, not replacement.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:03:43] So what are the ways, then, that people in the industry, that manufacturers, educators, people like you and just the manufacturing community in general… Beyond the promise and appeal of cool robots, how can you make manufacturing jobs appealing to young people? I think one way is with letting them know that, hey, these are really good, high paying jobs, but what are some other ways that you’ve seen successfully implemented to get the workforce pipeline filled?

Christelle Keefer: [00:04:14] Yeah, it really takes a team effort. Industry can provide access to technology, provide mentorship, internships, co-ops and apprenticeships. On the community side, communities can encourage curiosity and break old stereotypes about manufacturing jobs being dull, dirty, and dangerous. They can expose kids, even the workforce, to STEM through clubs. There’re some great books out there, some videos that show applications of robotics and automation that are pretty sweet nowadays because it goes beyond just automotive. You’re starting to see more and more robotics and automation, and the food and beverage industry. Construction. But even, you know, purchasing toys for kids like LEGO robotics or even Snap Circuits gets them excited about doing hands-on activities in STEM and getting them exposed to that. So, on the side of academia and schools, they can help by building clear pathways to technical careers, whether that’s through field trips or inviting guest speakers from local businesses to come into classrooms and speak to students about their career paths or about their technology. Also, local expos and shows that are going on. That’s a great way to engage the students to the technologies that are evolving. They can also offer —— I think this is super important —— offer robotics classes directly in the curriculum, not just in after-school programs. That way, students who don’t have transportation or the ability to stay late can get the opportunity to be exposed. You know, making robotics part of the school day really ensures that there’s access for everyone, not just those who can participate outside of class time. So, all in all, when industry, education, and communities work together, students start to see manufacturing and automation as exciting and a meaningful career path for themselves. The key is making the program systematic, not just a one-off event. So be consistent so students everywhere, not just in well-resourced schools, have access to them.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:06:26] Yeah. And I know, Amanda, you have questions, but I just want to follow up because I really love that answer —— the idea of making robots part of the curriculum. My major in college was in journalism. And while there is merit in taking classes like, you know, pre-18th century British literature —— Of course there are things everyone should read —— but for what I’m doing today, there’s really no applicability. So for people to learn robots, well, there’s a more direct path to a career, instead of saying, “now I know a lot about Charles Dickens, what do I do next?” You know what I mean. So I love that.

Christelle Keefer: [00:07:13] Yeah. For sure.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:07:14] Well, and it’s the evolution, right? I mean, I’m sure when my parents were in school, they weren’t using like the TI 80, $150 calculator either. So the evolution of where our society is, is moving in this direction. So it seems like education should be following suit and that, you know, teaching antiquated skill sets ——

Christelle Keefer: [00:07:42] —— bring the shop classes back!

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:07:44] Right! The town I grew up in is a very blue collar area. We have some mills and stuff, and there’s a power facility not too far away. And I was like, “how come nobody talked to me about this in school?” Like, I grew up here? Instead it was, “go to college, get a degree.” And it was then later on when I was working at a publication, I got into a two-year process control certificate and began making really good money just down the street. It just wasn’t taught to us. The community could have done a better job of reaching out and showing us that there were other chances.

Christelle Keefer: [00:08:26] Oh for sure.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:08:27] To your point, ABB is a big organization. You guys have a lot more resources and there’s a lot of smaller automation companies or integrators or distributors that are maybe able to be active in their communities, but they don’t know how. Or they don’t have the large resources that you have. What would you recommend to them for helping to build their community pipelines and do that in a way that is more within their means if they don’t have such huge backing?

Christelle Keefer: [00:09:04] Yeah, I’m starting to see more and more smaller companies look at the larger companies like ABB and I’ve spoken to a few of them and they asked, “what can we do? We believe education is really important. We want to work with our next workforce. We want to invest, but we don’t have that much money and we don’t have the resources.” And my advice is to start local. So partner with a school, sponsor a robotics team, offer tours of your facility, or, you know, you could host a career day. You could also go to the school you know, as an individual, and talk about your career journey. You could talk about your products. You could bring fun projects for them to do for an hour one of the days. So they get the hands on experience in the classroom. Workshops during school hours can really make a difference since they reach students who might not have access to these opportunities. But also, on the side of mentoring, mentoring students, donating materials to a school to do a project or a competition… You really don’t need a big budget to make an impact, but consistency in showing up and investing time matters. So when local employers get involved, it really helps students see clear and real opportunities in their own communities, which I think is really key to filling the pipeline.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:10:28] Yeah. And from my experience with engineers, a lot of times they want to share what they know, especially with somebody who’s curious, who’s interested. And, going and speaking isn’t a crazy investment.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:10:46] I just wanted to circle back to one thing you said earlier that I also really liked —— not that I didn’t like your whole reply! But the idea of LEGOs, right? LEGOs being something that a lot of these robotics companies create to send home to kids. For so long, it was kind of difficult for me to explain to my kids what exactly I did. They’d say, “you work with robots.” And, I’m, “hmmm, not really.” And they’ll ask “what kind of robots? Like the ones you see in movies?” Not really. But then I’m bringing home robots, say a set that’s designed for bin picking. I have a friend that works at Boston Dynamics, and he brought us some spot robot LEGOs. And I’m hoping that my kids —— I’ve got three boys —— I’m hoping that one of them will pick it up and it will register with him. Like, “this is going to be the thing that I do.” Maybe it won’t, and he’ll just have fun with it, but maybe it will.

Christelle Keefer: [00:11:46] Yeah. For sure.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:11:48] And one other thing that I kind of alluded to —— and I just want your opinion on it because I feel like you’re really in tune with the industry and out there talking to a lot of people —— is I mentioned that it feels like people are getting over the fear of robots replacing jobs. So if you disagree with that, I would like to know. But then part two of that is, if we are over that hump, how do people feel about AI? Because folks in the industry know how to talk about AI or there are specific things you talk about within the context of AI, whether it’s large language models or predictive maintenance or computer vision, machine vision, whatever. But outside of the industry, in the general population, AI scares some people. So what’s been your experience there?

Christelle Keefer: [00:12:36] Changes in new technologies always scare people. But again, to my point, it’s enhancement, not replacement. So one common misconception is that automation and AI will replace people entirely, when in reality, it enhances what people can do. AI can process large amounts of data or power vision systems to detect things that the human eye may miss. But empathy, creativity, and complex problem solving are strengths that only humans can bring. So tools like ChatGPT, they can support learning and innovation by providing quick information and generating ideas and sparking ideas. But they really don’t replace the brain power, the adaptability, and the emotional intelligence that people contribute. So the true value of using AI emerges when people use their own creativity paired with AI, using their own judgment and using their own problem solving as well. So it’s a tool to enhance work, not replace work.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:13:41] Yeah 100%. I ran into a company recently that said —— they were an AI company —— and they said, “well, we found success with this one customer because their executive had given them a mandate to use AI.” And I’m like, “just a general mandate?” Like no specific guidance on what type of AA? AI means lots of different things these days. And and I think, to your point of it being an enhancer, it’s not a tool for every job. It’s very powerful for a lot of things, but it’s not magic. So, again, to your point, if you try using ChatGPT for anything, the output is only as good as the prompt, which is the case with AI in general. If you train a vision system with poor images, you’re going to get poor results, and so on.

Christelle Keefer: [00:14:38] Yes, 100%. “AI” is such a buzzword used, and that’s always the question I have: “What version, what kind of AI are you talking about —— you know, AI vision systems or ChatGPT or different technologies and tools.” But again, change always sparks a little bit of fear in people. That’s why I think when you start early on and you expose students early on, they get more comfortable and think, “I can use this.” But, for example, ChatGPT is not always accurate. I mean, no matter years down the road, will it be 100% accurate? No. So it just sparks more and more ideas and creativity, and then you just use it as a baseline and build from there.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:15:28] So just to pull us back to the education, the student programs and stuff, I was curious… You mentioned earlier out-of-school programs being a little bit less accessible. But obviously, programs like First Robotics have become really popular. And, in my understanding, they really have been driving a lot of young people to have at least an interest in robotics and to start exploring these types of careers. Do you see any other programs like this starting to grow or gain any steam? And, how could industry get involved or maybe start more of these programs?

Christelle Keefer: [00:16:06] Yeah, there’re a lot of other programs in addition to First Robotics, both within local communities and also well-known nationwide and globally. So…like World Robot Olympiad, Skills USA, Vex Robotics, and Project Lead the Way to name a few more, all of which are doing amazing work. Students learn best when they’re having fun. So these competitions and the hands-on activities and the school projects are really a great way to make learning more engaging and exciting for the students. And the way that companies can get involved is through mentoring students, sponsoring teams, donating equipment, or even just serving as a judge in the competitions is huge. Being on the sidelines cheering them on. These are some of the things that I have done as well —— the judging and cheering them on and taking videos and making videos of the students. It’s exciting. It’s just exciting to be part of it. But on the industry side, you see the potential of the future because you’re just amazed by what the younger generation can do, competing in these competitions, in these challenges. And, the biggest impact comes when you consistently show up and you support the students, showing them what careers in automation look like, really inspiring them to see the possibilities and their potential. You’d be amazed at what this younger generation can achieve these days!

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:17:34] Yeah, it goes back to that “give of your time” thing, right? You know, it’s not hard. I think sometimes we make these things seem so much harder. Like, “I have to do a lot.” “I have to have a lot of money,” or “I have to donate technology.” But just going to judge a competition or share your expertise or being a mentor for a team would be enough.

Christelle Keefer: [00:17:58] And I’ve had people say, “well, I have to have a certain presentation for each school if it’s engineering.” No, you don’t. The kids don’t want a PowerPoint presentation. They want to know, “what have you done, how have you learned.” And if they ask you a question and you don’t really know the answer, then you’re both learning. So you can just go back and find the answer. You just learned something new and they just learned something as well. So it’s nothing to be afraid of. And it doesn’t take that much time. It really doesn’t.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:18:24] Christelle, what about the ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute? I think that’s really more for people that are already in the industry, but to some extent they also work in workforce development, don’t they? A really, really interesting person I met there not long ago was doing a podcast, a robotics panel, and after we got off the podcast, she said,”hey, two of the people that were on this podcast are in companies spun out of the ARM Institute. Did you know that?” And I said, “no, I had no idea.” We started talking more and she explained to me more about how it works. But, what are they doing in workforce development, or is it largely just kind of advancing technologies?

Christelle Keefer: [00:19:02] ARM is a great organization. They actually have a website called RoboticsCareer.org where you can find manufacturing engineering jobs. But they will partner with industry education and also government to get certain funding to do projects, research and development, and support smaller startups as well. So it’s another great organization in addition to A3 —— the Association for Advancing Automation also brings together industry education and the communities to kind of support our future.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:19:45] Absolutely. I would be remiss to not mention A3, as I did the podcast at an A3 event. They’re the definitive resource in a lot of ways for everything automation. I just thought that the ARM Institute idea was pretty interesting. Because it’s almost like you can picture the path of a kid getting interested in robotics, going up through school, taking some classes, whether it’s, ideally, part of their curriculum or whether it’s after school, going to college, developing a startup, working on that startup, going into the ARM Institute… That is kind of the next step.

Christelle Keefer: [00:20:26] Yeah.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:20:26] And that job board is very interesting too. I’m glad you mentioned it.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:20:32] Well to that point, I was kind of curious too. We talked a lot about young people but there should be something to be said for attracting adults who are trying to reskill or upskill, for people who are trying to find a new career path. What could or should industry be doing to try and reach those folks? Are there programs? First Robotics and similar programs are very specific to kids in school. But, if I’m just looking for a new career path, are we really doing anything to try and capture those people?

Christelle Keefer: [00:21:11] So I’ve met adults who have realized they wanted a career change, and they’ve come to ABB for training. Some started training through robot operations safety, then moved to programming a robot, and then eventually becoming a robot integrator. But it’s a great example that learning doesn’t stop once you start a career. Ongoing training and adaptability are essential, so employers should invest in upskilling their workforce, and industry can support this. Let’s say someone wants to do a career change. Partnering with community colleges or workforce development centers is a good idea. Participating in career fairs and expos, or even offering training programs, both virtually and in person, is a great idea. We talked about ARM having RoboticsCareer.org —— that job site is great, but also there’re a lot of different organizations that offer training, like A3 will offer some safety courses and training, and Tooling U-SME will offer some training courses as well. So, those are some ideas. Open houses or facility tours can also give adults ideas of what’s possible. It may even inspire them to explore a career in automation. I know at Amazon down the road from me, they have multiple days a week where you can sign up for a tour of their packaging center, and you’ll see automation in full speed there, too. And it’s open to young, young kids and also to adults as well.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:22:51] I know that you’ve been on a number of podcasts and you’re out and about in the industry, and you know a lot of people, and you’re having a lot of interesting conversations… What’s most interesting these days? What are some topics that have come up a lot? What are you most excited about in automation and manufacturing today?

Christelle Keefer: [00:23:14] Lots of things excite me! You know how automation is solving real world challenges, from addressing workforce shortages to creating safer work environments and even helping industries become more sustainable. Automation isn’t just about machines. It’s about making life better for people and communities. So really seeing how automation is just expanding beyond the automotive industry and into smaller businesses and organizations and things like that is just super exciting.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:23:44] It really is, right? I did a podcast not long ago with a company that designs robotic systems that build sustainable, affordable homes. So it’s a company, to your point, that’s making life better. If your robot is being used to assemble phones, well, in a way that’s making life better, people need phones, but you can see a more direct impact to, let’s say, being  intrinsically rewarded by knowing that you’re providing affordable, sustainable homes for people who otherwise maybe can’t afford them. And even beyond any factory floor, it’s out there adding value in a lot of different ways from farms to building homes to the food industry in a lot of different ways. There’re some really exciting companies in all those spaces and beyond. So, yeah, I fully agree.

Christelle Keefer: [00:24:46] Yeah. Architecture, 3D printing, bridges, and, in Amsterdam, a metal bridge. So there’s Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing, or WAAM. There’s 3D printing concrete houses. It’s just cool, cool stuff. I always love seeing new videos of how it’s being applied. And also, the sustainability factor of things just makes it even even better.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:25:10] Absolutely.

Amanda Del Buono Lilly: [00:25:14] I think the last thing, aside from that, that I wanted to touch on was—— we have Manufacturing Day coming up again this year in a few months. Kind of curious how you view these kinds of events for driving awareness for the industry. Is there something we could be doing more of? And how will you be celebrating it?

Christelle Keefer: [00:25:37] Manufacturing day, October 3rd. It’s a great way to show people what modern manufacturing looks like. High tech, innovative, and full of opportunity. The more interactive the event, the better the impact. And so how will ABB be celebrating? We celebrate every year by working with our local county, which is Oakland County, to host students from different high schools. The students are taken for a tour of our US robotics headquarters in the manufacturing facility. They’ll meet employees from different departments, from engineering to human resources, marketing, finance, operations and factory shipping and receiving. So they’ll talk to all of these different departments and hear about the career paths of our employees. And then, of course, they get the hands-on time with our robots. We have multiple stations set up for them to explore, which is always a highlight. So a super fun event to partake in, but that doesn’t have to be the one event of the year. We always are inviting students and clubs over to visit our facility. And you know, being in industry, you can go to a school, as I had mentioned, or the school can come to you and you can show them what you’re all about.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:26:54] Is there anything else we haven’t talked about? I’d be curious, again, to hear if there’s one message you could put out there to younger people, whether it’s kids in high school or whatever. What would be your one message to them in terms of letting them know about the opportunities within manufacturing and in automation today.

Christelle Keefer: [00:27:20] I would say my one message wouldn’t just be for the younger, up and coming generation. It’s pretty much for everyone. And I’d like to emphasize that networking and relationships really, really matter. So building strong partnerships, staying connected, being consistent, showing up, and learning from each other is how we move forward as an industry. The more we collaborate, the better we can prepare the workforce of tomorrow. Having students reach out and get mentors or ask questions, I think, is super cool. Staying connected, growing with that network. Seeing how people you know grow around your network and building each other up is really important. And I’d love to continue the conversation if anyone wants to. Speaking of networking and relationships —— if anyone wants to connect with me on LinkedIn, that’s the best way to get in touch with me.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:28:14] I really appreciate it. And on that note, if people want to learn more, I would encourage you to to follow Christelle and visit ABB on LinkedIn and ABB.com and see what’s going on in terms of new products and initiatives on their end. And I’m sure that you’ll be able to find Christelle at a number of industry events. Anything coming up soon you’ll be at?

Christelle Keefer: [00:28:34] I will be a lot of local events, like the big Automate shows and things like that. So mainly just supporting and visiting schools locally. I don’t have anything global yet, but yeah, stay tuned. I typically post where I’m going to be on LinkedIn.

Jimmy Carroll: [00:28:50] Fair enough. Well, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for your time. It’s been a pleasure talking to you. And like I said, if anybody has any questions, you can follow Christelle on LinkedIn, or check out ABB.com, or we’d be happy to pass questions along. You can reach out to us at Manufacturing-Matters.com. Thanks everyone very much. Appreciate it.