INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY: DIGITAL TWINS

Patrycja Sobera, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Workplace Solutions AI and Digital Twins on AI and Digital Twins stepping in to bridge the skills gap in the field service sector.

The industry is at a critical juncture and must focus on onboarding and empowering the next generation of talent. While this may seem as simple as filling vacant roles, the real challenge lies in preserving decades of expertise, accelerating employee skills to match technological needs and ensuring field service operations remain resilient, responsive and ready for the future.

A large share of the field service workforce is made up of Baby Boomers and many of them are now retiring. With every technician who steps away, decades of experience go with them. It’ s not just the technical skills they take, but all the subtle insights they have picked up along the way – from handling equipment quirks to specific preferences existing clients have and the fast fixes that aren’ t written down anywhere. the guidance from leadership helps them in practice. It’ s clear that traditional ways of storing and sharing knowledge aren’ t cutting it.

In fact, within the next five to ten years, around 70 % of field service organisations expect to lose this kind of hands-on knowledge. The consequences are severe: slower response times, more mistakes and a dip in customer confidence.

Bringing in new talent is, of course, important but it’ s not a silver bullet. Even the most promising recruits need time and experience to catch up. Research shows that around 70 % of skill development comes from working the day-to-day job. Without a reliable way to pass on the wisdom of those retiring, new technicians are left to learn through trial and error – a process that’ s inefficient and potentially risky in a fast-paced and high-stakes environment.

While there is no substitute for experience, technology can help bridge the gap. Smarter tools, powered by AI are already stepping in to support newer technicians by flagging early signs of equipment trouble, predicting failures before they happen and offering real-time guidance on what to do next.

The most advanced systems don’ t just analyse data from one source – they pull together insights from manuals, service histories, sensor data and industry best practices, all in one place. It’ s like having a veteran technician in your pocket: always available, always up to date and ready to help solve problems on the spot.

One of the biggest frustrations for workers today is finding the information they need to do their jobs well. Studies show that only a small fraction of employees feel

That’ s where digital twins come into play. These virtual models replicate real-world systems and are constantly updated with live data. They don’ t just show how something works – they help simulate outcomes, flag issues early and guide technicians through complex decisions, all in real time.

Newer employees no longer need to learn everything from scratch – they can tap into an always-on, expertlevel support system that shortens the learning curve and boosts confidence. Whether it’ s onboarding, maintenance or troubleshooting in the field, digital twins help ensure critical knowledge doesn’ t retire when the people holding it do.

It is clear that companies that invest in AI and tools that preserve hard-won knowledge will not only keep pace but also pull ahead. As experienced workers retire, this is an opportunity to rethink how expertise is shared, how teams are supported and how the next generation is set up for success. The sooner business leaders act, the better positioned they’ ll be to build a smarter, stronger future for field services. p

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