This episode is a special one – content from a recent CSIA members-only presentation – a Virtual Keynote Address by Alex Chaukosky, who is director of analytics and consulting for the Bundy Group.

But that title really does not give you the full picture because he is also a super whiz when it comes to taking economic and labor data and making it understandable, non-partisan, fact based – and more importantly, actionable.

The catch is that this is only a portion of his full presentation and only audio – CSIA members can access the full presentiaotn, including video and slides, at www.controlsys.org/virtual-keynotes.

But, it still includes plenty of interesting insights that will help you make good personal and business decisions.

In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Kacie Chitwood, an account executive at Miller Resource Group, shares her insights into the job market for controls engineers.

Some tidbits:

• The surprising salary jumps controls engineers can expect in their first five years
• Creative perks companies are using to attract top talent beyond just salary
• Why the "skills gap" is a major challenge and how companies are addressing it
• Tips for candidates on standing out in the job market and negotiating offers
• The future outlook for industrial automation careers and why it's so promising

Whether you're a job seeker looking to advance your career, an employer trying to attract and retain talent, or simply curious about the state of the industry, this episode is packed with actionable advice and insider knowledge.

Andrew Harris shares his journey from participating in a high school robotics program to leading business development and engineering initiatives at ACS.

You'll also hear about ACS's evolution from a spinoff architectural firm to a leader in industrial automation across various industries, as well as the company's holistic approach to project integration, the importance of customer satisfaction, and the challenges and trends in the automation industry.

The airwaves are blowing up with the potential of AI in industrial automation -- but is it all talk? Not at all, says Bryan DeBois, DIrector of AI at RoviSys, a system integration founded in 1989.

In fact, Autonomous AI is solving unsolvable problems right now -- including the brain drain and labor shortage -- that are plaquing manufacturing throughout the US.

FInd out how in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.

After 30 years of experience in industrial solution leadership -- ranging from greenfield design and engineering to custom specialized solutions -- Alex Pool launched Masked Owl Technologies.

As President of this SI startup, he uses his decades of experience in a diverse technology and automation landscape -- from the destruction of WWII-era chemical weapons to sequencing paper into NYC’s local print shops – to inform this latest venture.

Alex’s true passion is in problem-solving and building integrated systems that are unmatched elsewhere.

Hear all about it in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.

Can we be solving hard problems that make the economy work better? That make the world a more efficient place? Those are the questions that inspired Adam Gluck to leave his engineering job at Uber and found Copia Automation, which brings modern DevOps tooling to industrial automation, standardizing processes to drive quality, efficency, and uptime at scale.

Hear all about the past, present and future of this up and coming start up -- as well as its founder -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.

It's not often that an industrial autlomation podcast features a rockstar as a guest -- but it's happening today. Sandy Gennaro -- former drummer for bands as diverse as The Monkees to Joan Jett to Cyndi Lauper -- is here to tell you about his lessons learned from life on the road and other musings.

Full disclosure: He is also a keynote speaker for the upcoming CSIA Conference, where he will parlay his experience as a drummer in rock band to leading successful teams.

You also migh be surprised with how much you have in common with Sandy -- all glamour aside.