What’s Powering America’s AI Boom? The Workforce

In this episode of the Optimistic Outlook, Siemens USA President and CEO Ann Fairchild visits the company’s Fort Worth manufacturing facility and sits down with Lauren Curran, an industrial engineer and advanced manufacturing manager who has a front-row seat to the transformation happening on today’s factory floor. 

Lauren shares how technology, data, AI and continuous improvement are changing the way manufacturing works — and how those changes are creating new opportunities for the people behind them. From piloting new products and processes to working directly with assemblers to turn engineering drawings into finished products, she offers a firsthand look at what modern manufacturing really looks like. 

The conversation also explores Lauren’s own rapid career journey, from industrial engineer to manager, and what she has learned along the way about leadership, problem-solving and embracing new challenges. For Lauren, manufacturing is a fast-paced environment where every day brings a new opportunity to learn, improve and make an impact. 

Her story also highlights the broader need to build the next generation of manufacturing talent. As Siemens expands its U.S. manufacturing footprint and invests in workforce development, Lauren’s experience is an example of what can happen when people are given the tools, training and freedom to innovate. 

Take a listen for an inside look at the people, technology and ideas shaping the future of American manufacturing — and the career opportunities emerging along the way. 

Full Transcript

Lauren Espin
Hi, I'm Lauren Espin and this is the Optimistic Outlook podcast. Thanks for listening. 

On this episode, I want you to meet an engineer at our Fort Worth facility, Lauren Curran. She’s at the forefront of the electrical equipment boom happening in the United States right now.  

Ann Fairchild, President and CEO of Siemens USA, recently visited our Fort Worth facility, where she had a chance to talk with Lauren, who has become a team leader with a front-row seat to the innovation happening on the shop floor.  

Take a listen.   

Ann Fairchild
Hey, Lauren. It's good to be with you. I see you, too. So many people still have an outdated view of manufacturing today. What's your view? Working in a facility that's much more modern. How do you view these changes?  

Lauren Curran
I see a lot of innovation and the opportunity for innovation, especially in this plant. 

Being in a manufacturing like this, from what you've seen it is. The opportunity is there. And we have continuous improvement methods that we've been implementing. But it's about taking it a step further. And I think that Siemens and this facility specifically actually promotes that. So manufacturing may have some data. Like in my last position it was a little bit dated in the industry, but with Siemens and what, you know, what is coming down with data centers and like industry, AI, all that stuff allows for a lot of that prolific opportunity here. 

And we don't just stop at some fix or forum for any form of function. We always try to take it a step further and innovate something that doesn't exist for the operation or the assemblers needs. So we do a lot of that here, and it's for the opportunity to actually do that here has been amazing. 

Ann Fairchild
I can see that the innovation here is so evident. 

And you have a really interesting leadership journey. You're you're rise to to leadership has been very quick and we're so fortunate to have you. Can you share a little bit more about your story and your journey to where you are today?  

Lauren Curran
Yes, absolutely. So when I first started here, it was I was an industrial engineer and it was a team of about 30 people. 

And so entering in the advanced manufacturing team as an industrial engineer, I was a sole contributor. And then after a year, I got promoted to a supervisor. So I wasn't just a sole contributor, but more of the manager and personnel part of it. And that's very new to me. So being promoted within a year and having to kind of learn, and I'm still learning how to be a great manager alongside who were once my peers. 

It's been challenging, but it has a lot of opportunity and seeing how it was at that level and to see where I can do a lot of things for the team now that I'm in a manager position. So after a year, I got promoted to be a supervisor and, you know, just looking for kind of what's next. And yeah.  

Transition  

A quick comment here on the word that keeps coming up: “opportunity.” We often talk about the shortage of manufacturing workers in the United States – a shortage that could surpass 2 million by the end of the decade.  

Last year, Siemens opened a $190 million facility in Fort Worth to meet the skyrocketing demand for switchgear.  

The facility is one of the major investments Siemens has made in U.S. manufacturing over the past five years – investments that total $1 billion. 

With this new facility, we can produce more of the electrical equipment that’s central to power distribution for critical infrastructure – in particular, the data centers supporting AI growth.  

But there aren’t enough people to fill the roles that Siemens and other industrial companies are hiring for, which is why we’ve committed to closing that gap. 

And here in Fort Worth, Lauren is the perfect example of what happens when we give people the freedom to innovate and the tools to do it with – we don’t just fill a role, we start someone’s career.  

Here’s what Lauren Curran has to say about her own career journey so far. 

Lauren Curran
I would say, the growth entirely. So because we're scaling up to this point in time, there's a lot of opportunity even around our plant. But also like Siemens EP across the board. So performance space and worth ethic is where I got to where I am today. Yeah. I never turned down a challenge. 

The challenges actually excite me a lot. And being able to solve the problems that we have, like on a day-to-day basis, that it might be small but are measurable. That is something that I just love doing and I love leading my team to do as well. So there's a lot of opportunity in that. Yeah, we are very much of like a continuous improvement branded facility. 

So we never stop at trying to improve and capitalize on that improvement.  

Ann Fairchild
And that's evident. And you and your role, you spend a lot of time piloting new products and new processes. What can you describe for us about what is most exciting when you met navigate the intersection of technology and innovation here on the shop floor?  

Lauren Curran
Yes. Okay. 

So during the pilot process, we yes, there's switchboards at the core, but in piloting, sometimes it's really unexpected. We might see an engineering drawing, which is what we have on the floor for the delivery of our product. We have all engineering drawings. The pilot is for them to come to life. So that means assemblers hands on the material and assembling it in a way from a step by step process that reveals a lot. 

Ann Fairchild
How do you how do you talk to people who are new to manufacturing? 

Right. And how do you convince them that, you know, manufacturing is a totally different career than what they might have thought of or what historically it used to be? And I'm thinking about ergonomics and safety and the things we talked about. What what's your elevator pitch to those that are outside the company thinking about joining in this environment? 

Lauren Curran
So I would say first and foremost, it is a fast paced environment and they're surprises every day. So in a manufacturing facility, we have a large scale production. And any point of the process there could be some kind of failure or opportunity and we want to be able to attack that. So really just being diligent on the floor, being immersed in the floor and immersed in the process allows you to gain the education that you need to be confident in your job. 

And I think that's one of the most key things to have, is just try to learn as much as you can. Immerse yourself in the process and talk to the assemblers, the people who actually have their hands on the sections and the material, and that will bring the confidence in doing their job well. I love it. Yeah, I love it. 

Lauren Espin
We're grateful to Lauren for giving us a glimpse into her work at Fort Worth and to Ann for helping showcase the potential for growth and innovation happening on the shop floor. Lauren’s experience is an important reminder of the opportunities available for people embarking on manufacturing careers right now. 

Siemens is proud to support workforce development initiatives to help create those pathways, including piloting an innovative training program in Fort Worth for people with no experience in manufacturing.  

It’s helped us hire for some 800 roles, bringing former chefs and pizza delivery drivers to our team. More broadly, we’ve pledged to train 200,000 electricians and manufacturing experts by 2030.  

To learn more about Siemens' approach to workforce development, our work in Fort Worth, and our investments in U.S. manufacturing, check out the links in our show notes.  

And as always, thanks for listening.  

Published: August 11, 2026