Our industry’s journey toward increasingly efficient glass systems is never-ending, requiring us to stay innovative. Deploying cutting-edge technologies and equipment solutions is more necessary than ever before.

But, of course, there’s a catch. Applying these technologies requires certain skill sets—which are more difficult to come by. For example, switching from metallic spacer systems to high-performing warm-edge systems requires the right knowledge to properly fabricate high-quality commercial insulating glass (IG) units. The same is true of commercial vinyl profiles, which are an optimal way to enhance system efficiency further. Elsewhere, installing a high-speed automated production line requires similar shifts in thinking and skills. Finally, maintaining such equipment is an entirely new discipline compared to what was required for prior-generation equipment.

Indeed, proper education is necessary to ensure these types of solutions are correctly brought online. Even if you’re using high-performing components and equipment, they’ll only perform up to standard if they’re implemented correctly.

Developing these kinds of skill sets requires an organizational commitment to continuous education and training among your teams. As we get further into 2025 and look ahead toward what I hope will be a successful year for all of us, here are some things to consider as we seek to elevate our workforce:

Take Advantage of Downtime
Winter is traditionally a slower building and construction period, making it an opportune time to build knowledge throughout the shop floor. It doesn’t have to be formal.

A quick 30-minute refresher on spacer application can go a long way. Or perhaps it’s a lunch and learn, where your staff will appreciate a hot meal and the opportunity to grow their skill sets. Cross-training exercises, where teams from two separate departments gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to carry out the tasks of their counterparts.

Or, if you do have the time and resources to dedicate to longer or more formal training initiatives, those can certainly be a worthy investment. Your suppliers—be they your equipment or component vendors—may be able to provide some guidance here. Investing that time now can make a major difference in your ability to consistently meet demand with consistent, high-quality glass systems once orders come rolling in this spring and summer.

Don’t Leave Anyone Behind
It can be easy to prioritize training initiatives around your floor technicians. They are, after all, the ones in the trenches with their hands on the products. But investing in training for all of your plant staff, including supervisors, can be doubly beneficial.

There are a few reasons why. Instilling a greater depth of technical assembly knowledge among your supervisory staff means they can teach new recruits properly. If the situation calls for it, they can reliably step into an assembly role. Additionally, investing in training for your supervisors makes longer-term sense, given that these roles are not as vulnerable to high turnover as line operators. By making sure you’re thoroughly training your supervisor-level staff on the best practices of IG assembly, you’re ensuring that the right knowledge is already in place, even if it’s been tough to staff your line reliably.

Advancing the technical skills of glass professionals is essential for organizations of all stripes, especially when bringing new technologies and equipment online. Because continued innovation is required to succeed in an evolving industry.

Joe Erb is Quanex’s national account manager.