Optimistic Outlook

Is the American Dream still Made in America?   A renewed surge of interest in U.S. manufacturing has revealed a huge challenge. There are hundreds of thousands of vacant positions and a labor force that lacks the necessary skills to fill them.

While many label it a crisis, Carolyn Lee, president of The Manufacturing Institute sees an opportunity.  In this episode Carolyn sits down with guest host David Etzwiler to share an upbeat, ...

Sometimes the most impactful careers are the ones we never planned. In this episode, Sidra Maryam, from Siemens Smart Infrastructure Manufacturing Hub, shares how an unexpected career pivot led her to become a leader driving innovation, digital transformation, and team culture across a large-scale manufacturing operation.

Women make up less than one-third of America’s manufacturing workforce. It’s been this way for decades. Why is this? More importantly, what can we learn from women who are thriving in manufacturing careers?

In this episode you’ll meet two leaders who have built their careers on the factory floor and beyond: Cheryl Kiolbassa, Director, Digital Transformation Solutions, Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Anna Bumpious, Engineering Mana...

Since launching Siemens USA’s Optimistic Outlook podcast five years ago at the height of the pandemic, Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton, who recently announced her retirement from Siemens USA, has brought listeners inspiring conversations about the people and ideas shaping a better future. In her final episode as host of the show, journalist and Widehall Founder & CEO Steve Clemons flips the script—interviewing Barbara about the...

Barbara explores how technology is reshaping industries and communities — starting with one of the world’s most pressing needs: housing. Mikael Hedberg, a shipbuilder’s son, is reimagining home construction as the founder and CEO of ADMARES with robotic precision and modular design, promising abundant, affordable homes built with dramatically less waste. Siemens’ Eryn Devola shows how digitalization and automation can turn factorie...

How do we prepare today’s workers for the jobs of the future and ensure no one is left behind? In this episode of Optimistic Outlook, Barbara Humpton sits down with Guild CEO Bijal Shah to explore how employers, educators, and governments can come together to unlock workforce potential. From frontline roles in healthcare and manufacturing to the emerging demands of AI and advanced technologies, they discuss what it takes to build r...

Barbara sits down with U.S. Congressman Jay Obernolte, who serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and led the House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, for an insightful discussion on how to balance risks with opportunity when it comes to AI. The Congressman outlines his vision for balanced, sector-specific regulation of AI that protects against malicious activities while fostering innovation. In this episode, Barb...

A college degree and economic mobility often go hand in hand. A bachelor’s degree can lead to higher earnings over a lifetime. But as technologies like AI impact the job market, how do academic institutions best prepare students for roles that may not even be created yet? Not only that, how do we give more people the chance to achieve a degree and build the skills that industries need? In this episode, Barbara Humpton speaks with S...

AI is reshaping how we live, learn, and work. But no matter how powerful the technology becomes, there’s one skill it will never replicate: being human.

In this special episode of The Optimistic Outlook, Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton shares her 2025 commencement address to graduates of Western Governors University. Her message is both simple and powerful: Empathy. Curiosity. Resilience. The joy you bring to your work. These are...

We’re halfway through 2025—and what a year it’s been. In this special mid-year check-in, Barbara revisits the bold predictions she made back in January and asks: Are we delivering on the promise of Industrial AI, clean energy, and workforce transformation? From factories revitalized by digital twins to microgrids powering America’s fast-growing AI data centers, this episode highlights the real-world innovations reshaping our indust...

What does a futurist see when they look ahead—not just to next year, but to 2050 and beyond? In this episode, Barbara sits down with Brian Comiskey, Senior Director of Innovation & Trends at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), to explore the megatrends transforming our world. From industrial AI and digital twins to quantum computing and generational shifts, Brian offers a window into the technological, societal, and huma...

Barbara returns to a theme she’s been hearing more and more from policymakers, educators, and industrial leaders alike: how to truly bring back American manufacturing. While much of the attention is focused on high-profile greenfield projects—brand-new, high-tech factories—there’s an equally urgent priority hiding in plain sight: transforming the factories we already have. In this episode, Barbara welcomes back Del Costy, President...

MIT professor, entrepreneur, and manufacturing visionary Dr. John Hart joins the show to continue the podcast’s focus on what it will really take to bring back American manufacturing. Together, John and Barbara explore how revitalizing U.S. industry will require more than cutting-edge technologies—it will take collaborative ecosystems that span education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. From insights into the latest tr...

In the latest episode of Optimistic Outlook, Barbara dives into the heart of America’s manufacturing revival, drawing parallels from the high-octane world of IndyCar racing to the industrial tech sector driving economic growth.

Discover how cutting-edge are not just giving racing teams a competitive edge but also fueling the transformation of U.S. manufacturing. Learn why these advancements matter to manufacturers, business leaders...

In this episode of the Optimistic Outlook, Barbara reflects on insights from the inaugural AI for Real event in New York City, featuring insights from top economists and innovators. This episode dives into how Industrial AI empowers workers, drives innovation, and strengthens America’s industrial leadership. Whether you're a business leader, policymaker, or curious professional, learn why investing in Industrial AI is key to creati...

A quiet revolution is reshaping how we build, work, and compete at the intersection of AI and American manufacturing. Recorded live at ITI’s Intersect Summit in D.C., this episode explores how breakthroughs in Industrial AI—from Siemens’ AI-powered production tools to Toyota’s collaborative “big room” model—create more intelligent factories and empower U.S. workers. With bipartisan momentum and strategic public-private partnership...

What does it take to power the future of transportation, industry, and infrastructure? In this electrifying episode, we’re joined by Jennifer Mefford, National Co-Chair of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP), to explore how cutting-edge training reshapes the electrical workforce.   Jennifer shares how EVITP is preparing electricians to meet the skyrocketing demand for EV infrastructure—and in the process, t...

What if the key to a stronger, more inclusive workforce starts before college? In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Taylor White, Director of Postsecondary Pathways for Youth at New America’s Center on Education and Labor, to explore how youth apprenticeships are transforming the future of work. Taylor shares her insight as the leader of the groundbreaking Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) initiative, which...

As industries electrify—from EVs to critical infrastructure—the demand for skilled talent is skyrocketing. But how do we break down barriers to entry and ensure that the workforce of tomorrow is ready? In this episode, Barbara is joined by Dr. Scott Ralls, President, Wake Tech Community College. Dr. Ralls shares lessons learned and insights from his experience guiding Wake Tech’s innovative strategies connecting workforce and educa...