LCAMP partnership and CECIMO – the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies cooperates in the context of the release of a CECIMO report entitled “Transformation of Manufacturing: Embracing digital and green skills.” Due to the interesting findings of the CECIMO report, LCAMP has written a insights into this report. Furthermore, the Spanish Advanced Manufacturing Cluster comprises the Association of Manufacturers of Machine Tools (AFM, Spain) LCAMP’s partner is one of the members of CECIMO. Therefore, a further collaboration is expected in the coming months.
Insights into the report “Transformation of Manufacturing: Embracing Green and Digital Skills’ (CECIMO, 2023)
The “Transformation of Manufacturing: Embracing digital and green skills” (find the report here) is study focused on the changing nature of advanced manufacturing and the skills required to thrive in the digital and green economy. The report focuses on the skills gap in the manufacturing industry, with a special emphasis on the machine tool industry. The findings of the CECIMO report regarding the digital and green skills required in the future can be used by the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University DHBW (lead of WP5 in the LCAMP project) to identify possible skill mismatches within the courses, micro certificates and qualifications offered.
This information helps LCAMP to develop initial learning pathways to provide employees from technical occupations with declining employment figures with opportunities for re-skilling or upskilling, for example to become data scientists or IoT specialists.
LCAMP (Learner Centric Advanced Manufacturing Platform) is a European project funded under the Erasmus+ CoVEs call, led by the Basque VET Research Centre TKNIKA. LCAMP aims at becoming the European reference platform for knowledge, generation and exchange, collaboration and service provision for VET/HVET centres and companies working in the Advanced Manufacturing sector. Notably within the framework of Work Package 5 on Learning Pathways (WP5), industry skill demands are a key element. The learning pathways to be developed in WP5 should provide users, such as learners and company representatives, with up- and reskilling opportunities by means of concrete micro certificates and learning units that build on each other. The findings of the CECIMO report regarding the digital and green skills required in the future can be used by the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University DHBW (lead of WP5) to identify possible skill mismatches within the courses, micro certificates and qualifications offered. Some of the skills mentioned in the CECIMO report are already taught in technical qualifications and study programmes, but the teaching of green skills is only considered in a few programmes. Thus, based on the identified future skills of CECIMO, first concepts for teaching missing skills in secondary and tertiary education can be developed. This information helps LCAMP to develop initial learning pathways to provide employees from technical occupations with declining employment figures with opportunities for re-skilling or upskilling, for example to become data scientists or IoT specialists.
Specific skills are in demand referring to digital and green skills
In order to adapt to industrial digital technologies and use them in an efficient and effective way, specific skills are in demand referring to digital and green skills. Digital skills imply proficiency in software, cyber security, data analysis, and programming (cf. CECIMO 2023, p. 5). As advanced technologies and automation continue to be adopted, employees are required to have the ability to program and control CNC machines, among other digital tasks. Among technical and digital skills, the report identified a growth in the demand for green skills for employees in the machine tool sector. The transition towards a greener economy is also driving the need for green skills in manufacturing. Furthermore, the emerging skill demand due to the ongoing digitization and greenification also evokes changes and developments in occupational profiles. Regarding technical job profiles, the report identified several future professions such as “Operational technology performer, who will ensure the functionality of systems and processes, as well as “Web security expert”, regarding the increasing amount of generated data and accompanying risks and threats (cf. CECIMO 2023, p. 6). Already existing job profiles such as Analytics Developer, Data Scientists IT as well as IoT Specialists, and Data Analysts are expected to present even more increasing demand in the advanced manufacturing sector. On the basis of the identified new job profiles, LCAMP can develop a set of ‘use cases’ for which training units could be taken up by learners in a targeted manner in order to demonstrate the necessary skills for new job profiles.
Embracing robotics and automation in the manufacturing industry
With regard to green skills, the report identified new occupations such as Sustainable Energy Expert, Energy Engineer, and Sustainability Manager may be in demand in the machine tool industry (cf. CECIMO 2023, p. 8). In addition to digital and green skills, the document mentions the importance of embracing robotics and automation in the manufacturing industry. Roles such as Robotics Specialist, Automation Technician, and Mechatronic Technician are highlighted as being crucial for the efficient and safe operation of automated systems. The document also emphasizes the need for traditional roles such as Mechanical Fitters, Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineers, and Technical Sales Executives in the machine tool industry (cf. CECIMO 2023, p. 8). As an outlook on how the further training of employees can be supported in accordance with the identified skill gaps, the report shows some suggestions for companies and institutions. These include, for example, the early dissemination of information that facilitates participation in upskilling offers for employees. Institutions are recommended to adapt the courses for learners accordingly and, in particular, to integrate work-based training for skills development.
Digital literacy is crucial for the future of the industry
According to LCAMP WP5 Lead DHBW, the Green Transition is a new development, but one that has extensive consequences and influence on the manufacturing industry in particular. Because the effects of this megatrend are not yet sufficiently known, the skills required can only be estimated.
The aspirations and requirements of sustainability are different in the various industrial sectors. In the manufacturing sector in particular, the importance of resource conservation, recycling economy, and alternative energy sources is increasing. As mentioned in the report, technical innovations can have a supportive effect in this regard to design resource-saving and sustainable production. DHBW notes that while the report “Transformation of Manufacturing: Embracing Green and Digital Skills” outlines digital skills needed in the industry according to the survey responded to by their members, the Stifterverband study also lists other essential skills for employees of the future. Among them, digital literacy is crucial for employees, which includes the careful handling of data, software, and interaction with AI. Digital ethics is also becoming more important regarding the increased amount of data and its use in companies (cf., Stifterverband 2021, p.6). With this and other studies on skills of the future, LCAMP and particularly WP5 on Learning Pathways will use the CECIMO report as an excellent starting point for their work.
Bibliography
- CECIMO (2023): Transformation of Manufacturing: Embracing Digital and Green Skills, available online: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cecimo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Final-Skills-Paper-1.pdf.
- Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wirtschaft e.V. (2022): Diskussionspapier Nr. 3: Future Skills 2021. 21 Kompetenzen für die Welt im Wandel. Essen: Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wirtschaft e.
LCAMP’s insights report author: Lea Schmitt (Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW), Germany)
