Skills for a digitalised world of work

The training of skilled workers for Industry 4.0 is a matter of the highest priority for German companies. For this reason, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) will this year be placing greater emphasis on studying the changes in skills requirements associated with the design of so-called “smart factories”. “There is no doubt that the inevitable progression towards a digitalised world of work in Germany will require huge endeavours in the field of research and development,” explained BIBB President Friedrich Hubert Esser. “We expect that the competence profiles of company staff will undergo substantial change. This means that it is important to identify these profiles now and to undertake appropriate didactic and methodological steps to create a foundation for initial and continuing training.”

Issues that require clarification include the extent to which the need for broad or networking knowledge is increasing or what will be the significance of information and communications technology for skilled work. Further areas of focus are the interlinking of higher education and vocational training and an intensification of non-formal and informal learning. Appropriate models and concepts need to be developed and piloted for this purpose.

“This is why the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training and Volkswagen are launching a joint project to investigate the challenges that are emerging as a result of Industry 4.0 and to draw up relevant proposals for the further development of initial and continuing VET,“ emphasised BIBB President Esser. “We are delighted to have acquired such a prestigious company as Volkswagen as our partner. This provides us with an environment in which we can address these fundamental issues. Industry 4.0 is a topic that academic research, policy and VET practice will all need to deal with in future. For this reason, it is of crucial importance to BIBB to be working within this field.”

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