Skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution - A response to Industry 4.0 challenges

Abstract

Many countries are now entering the stage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also referred to as Industry 4.0, in which technological advances enable significant changes in industry. Industry 4.0 will not only increase resource and time efficiency, it will also change the way people work. The Universities of the Future (UoF) project aims to address the educational needs arising from Industry 4.0 in Europe by creating educational offerings in collaboration between industry, universities, and public bodies. To this end, the project takes two approaches: the identifying of skills required for succeeding in the Industry 4.0 environment, and a report on Industry 4.0 challenges and education focusing on Finland, Poland and Portugal. This thesis serves as part of that report. One of the most important challenges is skilled labour scarcity, which has forced companies and countries to find novel ways to attract or create talent. For every professional, a good understanding of their own discipline is the basis for job performance, but it is also necessary to have the curiosity and motivation to continue lifelong learning, and to have a wider vision that allows them to understand complex problems or situations. Mastering the scientific process and developing creative thinking helps develop problem-solving skills. In addition, everyday life requires working effectively and communicating with people from different backgrounds, and the possibility to learn from our peers. Particularly when developing technology for human use, the synergy of work with people from different disciplines and backgrounds is key. Human work in the fourth industrial revolution is not meant to be discarded, but its role must transform in order to thrive and find new solutions to increasingly complex challenges