While Hisensehitachi’s Qingdao site has a highly automated shop floor, employees play essential roles, in complex welding operations, machine monitoring and maintenance of a safe production environment. Workers are able to perform these tasks starting on Day 1 thanks to the “Training Dojo” located on the shop floor. The “dojo” is split into four core areas: Skills Dojo, Automation Dojo, Safety Dojo and Lean Dojo. Employees are trained on life-saving tasks such as using a fire extinguisher and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the Safety Dojo, using dummies and gamified simulations. Day-to-day skills like welding are honed in the Skills Dojo, which integrates VR with AI-enabled on-screen feedback and support. The Training Dojo has helped to increase job matching to 98% while reducing the standard training cycle by 32%.CASE STUDY 6 Hisensehitachi Digital upskilling programmes Recognizing the extensive need for digital literacy, organizations are developing dedicated programmes to train their frontline workforce in digital best practices. These initiatives cover a spectrum of crucial skills, from mastering automated guided vehicle (AGV) routing and understanding AI modelling principles to proficiently creating and interpreting control room dashboards. These programmes empower people to interact with and optimize digital systems, enabling them to level up from operators to data-informed decision-makers. The Digital Leadership Essential Programme at Western Digital’s Pranchinburi site in Thailand has been a game-changer for the company as it reskills frontline workers to engage with new product-related complexities while delivering to specifications. This initiative focuses on Fourth Industrial Revolution upskilling, deploying modern learning technologies and specialized tools co-designed with local universities. The programme offers multidisciplinary courses that allow participants to earn credits towards a degree while learning about a variety of topics, from the basics of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to advanced machine learning. The impact has been substantial: the percentage of frontline FTEs receiving such skill training has surged by 49% and employee engagement scores have risen by 21%. This comprehensive digital upskilling programme alleviates automation-related anxieties while equipping the workforce with advanced skills.CASE STUDY 7 Western Digital Empowering Frontlines 11

Empowering Frontlines 2025