The situation looks bleak: 1.7 million Americans are missing from the workforce compared to February 2020. That means the workforce shortage remains stuck at pre-pandemic levels. In the manufacturing space, the numbers look even more dire as studies predict 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030.

“Everybody is focused on the technology itself — building new plants, implementing new energy and technologies — but who will build and maintain all of this?” says Ksenia Solomatina, who launched her Sacramento-based startup, PowerTechs, to answer this very question.

PowerTechs uses AI, augmented reality and virtual reality to create immersive training environments (or XR cockpits). For example, users might enter a VR simulation of a power plant to tackle real-world challenges, such as repairing or assembling equipment. Trainers can remotely monitor their progress in real time to assess skills and abilities. Did they complete the task efficiently? Did they appear confused? Did they ask for help?

“Using XR technology enables PowerTechs to immerse workers and students in a realistic, simulated environment where their skills can be assessed authentically,” Solomatina says. “This method provides a more accurate evaluation compared to traditional tests, as individuals are less aware that they are being assessed and tend to focus more on the task at hand.”

This virtual hands-on training approach allows employers not only to gauge competencies, but also reduce training time and costs, Solomatina says. She estimates these programs could cut costs by up to 90 percent and shorten education from two-to-four years to as a little as four months. As a result, businesses can boost productivity, focusing on increasing revenue rather than waiting years for new hires to develop necessary skills.

“We’re experiencing the largest change in the workforce that we have ever had,” says Nate Schmidt, managing director for Techstars Alabama Energytech Accelerator. “Take energy. All innovations and how we produce energy, renewable energy, all of that is completely changing and we need skills to service that.”

It was Schmidt’s job to scour the world to find promising energy tech companies to support. He found Solomatina in Europe and recruited her. Her mission aligned with his interests in people preparing themselves for new economies.

“We need folks that can repair EV stations instead of working on burning fossil fuels,” he says. “This is changing at such a rapid rate. Then you throw AI into the mix and there are a lot of people who are going to be disrupted and reskilled.”

Schmidt has invested in 30 companies through Techstars over three years. The accelerator program consists of a 13-week bootcamp. Notably, Solomatina has been one of the best at engaging post-program, he says, checking in, making sure people who support her stay informed.

Solomatina’s background in workforce development set her on this path. Her first startup, a career coach for white collar jobs, showed her the gaps in support for blue-collar industries. With a team of six experts across various fields, she notes, the startup has already partnered with five community colleges with more than 15 companies in its pipeline. After securing initial funding through the Techstars program, PowerTechs plans to launch a second funding round next year.

But the manufacturing sector can be “slow and conservative” when adopting new technologies, she says. Also, in times of transition, the focus tends to be on the technology itself, she says, not the workforce. While it’s understandable for management to prioritize the technical aspects, she emphasizes that people can’t be an afterthought — especially in a time when, as she puts it, “resumes are zombies.”

“Resumes don’t work anymore,” Solomatina says. “ChatGPT appeared with this interface so everybody can create an ideal resume in two minutes. The problem with resumes is, you can put everything you want in your resume, but that doesn’t mean you are able to accomplish this task.”

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