Ferret at FABTECH 2026: Building Tomorrow’s Workforce

The Ferret team speaking at FABTECH 2026 will bring two generations of manufacturing experience to one important conversation. Scott and Thomas McMeekan will help explore how manufacturers can attract, train, and keep the next generation of employees.

The topic comes at a critical time. Manufacturers need skilled people while technology, reshoring, and AI continue to change the industry.

Scott, President of Ferret, and Thomas, Quality Manager, bring different generational perspectives to the discussion. Yet they work together inside the same manufacturing company every day.

Now, they are taking that experience to FABTECH 2026 in Las Vegas.

Why Is Ferret at FABTECH 2026 Talking About Workforce?

The manufacturing workforce is changing, and companies need to change with it. Scott and Thomas believe manufacturers have an opportunity to rethink how they connect with the next generation.

Thomas sees himself in a unique position. He works alongside people from different generations at Ferret. That gives him a firsthand view of how attitudes toward work can differ.

Meanwhile, Scott has watched manufacturing change over time. Today, he sees even more change coming.

Scott points to reshoring, new domestic opportunities, and AI as major forces affecting the industry. Those changes can create opportunities for manufacturers. However, companies still need people who can turn technology into results.

That makes the workforce conversation bigger than filling open jobs.

Manufacturers need to understand what different generations want. They also need to rethink how they recruit, train, and develop people.

That is exactly what the FABTECH panel plans to explore.

Two Generations Bring Different Questions to FABTECH

Scott and Thomas bring different questions to FABTECH because they see manufacturing through different generational lenses.

For Scott, one question sits at the center of the workforce challenge.

“The biggest question that I hope to get is why manufacturing?” Scott says.

That question opens a much larger conversation.

Why should a young person consider manufacturing? What opportunities can the industry offer? How can manufacturers show that technology creates exciting careers rather than replacing people?

Thomas approaches the discussion from another direction. He wants manufacturers to talk openly about what they are changing.

“What changes are you making between the generations, or trying to make?” Thomas asks.

That question matters because the workplace continues to evolve.

Manufacturers have years of knowledge inside their companies. At the same time, younger employees bring new expectations and perspectives.

The goal does not need to be choosing one generation’s approach over another. Instead, manufacturers can create a workplace where different generations learn from each other.

That is a conversation Scott and Thomas live every day at Ferret. 

Why This FABTECH Workforce Conversation Matters Now

Manufacturers that address workforce changes today can better prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Scott sees urgency around the issue because manufacturing itself is changing quickly.

Whether companies are bringing production back to the United States, adopting AI, or adding new technology, people remain essential.

Without the next generation of employees, manufacturers may struggle to capture those opportunities.

The official FABTECH panel shares that concern. Organizers point to retiring skilled workers and the challenge of replacing decades of knowledge. They also identify generational differences as an important issue for manufacturers of all sizes. 

Scott and Thomas will join a multigenerational panel to explore what works and what does not. The discussion will cover recruiting, training, retention, and workplace culture.

For manufacturing leaders, the goal is practical.

Come away with ideas that can help create a workplace where the next generation wants to join, contribute, and stay.

Catch Scott and Thomas McMeekan at FABTECH 2026

Ferret at FABTECH 2026 offers attendees a chance to hear two generations discuss one of manufacturing’s biggest challenges.

Scott and Thomas McMeekan will participate in:

Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: How to Attract, Train, and Keep Next-Gen Employees

Thursday, October 22, 2026
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center

The panel is part of FABTECH’s Keynotes & Special Events schedule. It is free and open to FABTECH attendees. 

If workforce development is on your mind, bring your questions.

Scott hopes attendees will ask why younger people should choose manufacturing. Thomas wants to hear what companies are changing between generations.

Most of all, they want to keep the conversation moving forward.

About FABTECH 2026

FABTECH 2026 takes place October 21-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event returns to Las Vegas for the first time in 10 years. 

FABTECH traces its history to 1981, when the event debuted in Cleveland with 161 exhibitors. Today, FABTECH describes itself as North America’s largest event for metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing. Its event series welcomes more than 65,000 visitors from over 90 countries each year. 

For 2026, organizers expect 1,400 exhibits, more than 31,000 attendees, and over 700,000 square feet of manufacturing technology. Attendees can explore new equipment, meet industry experts, attend educational sessions, and connect with fellow manufacturers. 

For Scott and Thomas, FABTECH creates another opportunity to help answer an important question:

How can manufacturers build a workplace that prepares the next generation to carry manufacturing forward?