Industry 4.0 No: Workforce Development & Training

By now, everyone has heard that we have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which has been dubbed Industry 4.0. Data, connectivity, automation and artificial intelligence are some of the defining elements that prompted experts to name this time of change. Economists, scholars and industry leaders believe that the technology-fueled Industry 4.0 could significantly shift manufacturing efficiency, much like the development of steam and electrical power did.

As Industry 4.0 continues to mature, experts predict a transformation in demand for employee skills. Gjoko Muratovski with the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies summarized the situation in an article for Forbes, writing that “the demand for soft skills will grow across all job sectors and will include critical inquiry, social perceptiveness, active listening and complex problem-solving.” He went on to point out that technical skills will remain important but that soft skills are “the fields that can help us shape a new generation.”

There is no question that soft skills and the development of human-centric training are crucial to building a successful business. However, as he also states, soft skills are not the foundation of success in this new era of Industry 4.0. Skilled leaders and successful people always have needed to master soft skills, and a tech-driven revolution does not increase the importance of developing good people skills and critical thinking.

If soft skills and problem-solving are not the foundation, then one might assume that mastering technology would have to be the foundation of success. But it is not. After all, the predominance of technology in the industrial world gave rise to the concept of Industry 4.0. From web-based meetings with people around the world to autonomous robots that deliver parts, we already have been immersed in technology.

Robots are a good example of the technology that will advance with Industry 4.0 and the connectivity of the Internet of Things. Although robots have been in the manufacturing sector for decades, their use is expected to continue growing. Not only will the use of robots increase, but robotic applications will become more complex.

These and other similar expected advances explain why educators, politicians and industrial executives tell us that there will be a boom in demand for workers with tech skills. While a deficiency of control engineers, coders and related types is likely, it won’t be sufficient to throttle the expansion of Industry 4.0, and manufacturers will feel only momentary pains from shortages.

Many also are led to believe by the message from our educators and politicians that our students lack the tech skills needed for success after school. I would argue they are not lacking. My son was programming industrial robots when he was 8 years old and making CAD models when he was in high school. At 14, he had the technology skills necessary to function in a manufacturing setting, and there were plenty of students like him. So we already have the tech skills required to drive Industry 4.0.