Industry 4.0: changes in work organization and qualification requirements—challenges for academic and vocational education

• Published in: Entrepreneurship Education (Online) Vol. 3; no. 2; pp. 119 - 131
• Main Author: Kuper, Harm
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01-06-2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Automation; Career Skills; Communication; Communication (Thought Transfer); Computers; Concept Formation; Determinism; Education; Employment Qualifications; Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship education; European History; Individualized Instruction; Industry 4.0; Information Processing; Information storage; Innovation; Innovations; Labor; Manufacturing; Observation; Original Paper; Process controls; Professional and Vocational Education; Qualifications; Technological change; Vocational education; Work Experience
• ISSN: 2520-8144; 2520-8152
• DOI: 10.1007/s41959-020-00029-1

The following article is based on the observation that digitalisation in the world of work does on the one hand trigger processes of change, leading to shifts and new constellations in the required qualifications. On the other hand, the effects of digitalisation on qualification requirements are moderated by work organisation. Against the background of a generalist understanding of academic and vocational qualifications, the article deals with the question what curricula correspond to the changing requirements of digitalisation under the new organizational circumstances of Industry 4.0. Turning to the discussion of preparatory qualifications for occupations in Industry 4.0, it follows the hypothesis that the technological developments that lead to a change in qualification needs also increase the potential to meet those needs. This leads to the idea of a digital signature pedagogy.