Employment and digital transformation
Fourth international TASKS conference
The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has organised the fourth inter-national TASKS conference together with its corporation partners — the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). The scientific symposium, attended by delegates from around the world, debates issues relating to the future of work and the impacts of digital transformation and globalisation.
Around 70 academics based both in Germany and abroad came together from a range of disciplines, including economics and sociology, between the 7th and 10th of September. They discussed issues covering the mechanisms used by employment markets to adjust to the challenges of digital transformation and the future of work (“Labour Market Adjustments to Digitalisation and the Future of Work”).
In addition to Prof. Achim Wambach, Ph.D, (President of the ZEW), Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Joachim Möller (Director of the IAB) and Prof. Dr. Reinhold Weiß (Deputy President and Head of Research of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)) participants also included well-known keynote speakers such as Prof. Dr. Guy Michaels (London School of Economics), Prof. Dr. Alan Manning (London School of Economics) and Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Verena Nitsch (Universität der Bundeswehr München [University of the Federal Armed Forces, Munich]).
They presented their current research results covering all aspects relating to the influence of robots on the world of work, the influence of technology and globalisation on the world of work, and the challenges posed by robotics for gainful employment. This topic area was explored in greater depth with 32 further papers from academics selected by a scientific committee.
“This is now the 4th TASKS international conference since 2010 which shows that an important forum has been established for discussing current issues covering all aspects in the development of occupational activities and employment markets. We are delighted that the BIBB will be organising the 5th event in this series in Bonn in 2018,”
commented Prof. Dr Weiß at the conclusion of the conference. The Call For Papers for this conference will be published at the start of 2018.
The BIBB is also working on further projects of its own in the topic areas of digital transformation, polarisation, automation and the impacts of these on tomorrow’s world of work. A symposium is taking place at the BIBB in Bonn on the 10th and 11th November on the topic of “Vocational education and training: automation — digitalisation — polarisation”.