Vector Solutions, the leading AI-enabled performance platform that enhances safety, compliance, and workforce readiness for critical industries, announced the launch of Skills Intelligence, a new workforce readiness solution that gives manufacturers a clear view of what their employees can do, rather than relying only on training completion.
The launch comes as manufacturers face growing pressure to build and retain the capabilities needed to keep operations running. Nearly 40% of skills used on the job are expected to change by 2030, and 45% of manufacturers already cite attracting and retaining a quality workforce as a top business challenge. Yet Vector's 2026 market research found that roughly 9 in 10 manufacturers still track workforce skills through spreadsheets, paper, or disconnected systems, making it difficult to see where critical capabilities exist or where gaps could put production at risk.
Skills Intelligence closes that visibility gap by showing proficiency levels and workforce coverage across roles, teams, sites, and shifts. Built on an AI-native platform, the solution helps manufacturers turn existing workforce and skills data into a clearer, more actionable view of readiness. Leaders can quickly identify who is qualified to perform specific work, find coverage for an unexpected absence, spot single points of failure, and determine where cross-training or development is needed. Unlike systems that rely on course completion as a proxy for readiness, Skills Intelligence tracks capabilities validated through an organization's own approval and sign-off processes.
"Manufacturers can't solve today's workforce challenges through hiring alone," said Clare Epstein, General Manager of Commercial at Vector Solutions. "They need to develop the talent they already have, giving employees clear opportunities to build new skills, advance, and apply those skills where they're needed most. At the same time, leaders need confidence that workforce development translates to readiness on the floor. By combining AI with a clear view of validated workforce capabilities, Skills Intelligence helps manufacturers better understand where skills exist, where gaps remain, and where to focus development, creating a stronger connection between workforce development and operational performance."