Industry 4.0 Changing Lives: The Training Workers' Case

Key takeaways

The expansion of digitization is making the global transition to Industry 4.0.
It makes them better communicators, improves the influx of innovative ideas, and increases their adaptability and ability to embrace new career challenges.
It is a revolution organizations need to prepare for so that their competition in the cut-throat marketplace doesn’t outrun them.

The expansion of digitization is making the global transition to Industry 4.0. Termed as the future factory, it is changing how organizations manufacture, enhance, and deliver their products by integrating smart technologies like cloud, artificial intelligence, IoT, and analytic.

Let’s dive in and understand how the new industrial revolution will affect us or if it is just another marketing buzzword.

Introduction to Industry 4.0 #

Industrial revolution 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution, is the advancement of the industrial 3.0 revolution with the addition of smart devices and systems, virtual reality, and wireless connection.

It vividly describes digital transformation with technological developments and advancements, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, smart cCities, IoT, edge computing, cloud computing, and smart automation.

The four foundational technologies that constitute the building blocks of Industry 4.0, according to McKinsey are:

Data, connectivity, and computation power (includes cloud, blockchain, sensors, and Internet of Things)
Intelligence and analytic (includes machine learning, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytic)
Interaction of humans and machines (includes automation, robotics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and chatbots)
Advanced Engineering (includes renewable energy, nanoparticles, and additive manufacturing processes like 3D printing)

The first three industrial revolutions focused on inventing and innovating novel machines and advancing electronics and production. The advancements in automation and wireless connectivity will revolutionize the workflow, enable better connections with smart devices, and level up production and living standards.

Impact on Workforce #

Since the first robot Animate was created, employees have expressed concerns about losing their jobs to robots. Several sci-fi movies helped visualize robots running factories and businesses, but the reality is far different and is not the reflection of reality.

The Hays Global Skills Index shows how middle-skilled jobs would disappear. Still, it also describes the creation of jobs in higher and lower-skilled occupations, proving that automation would create more jobs instead of deleting them.

Research by the World Economic Forum supports these findings, which showed that automation creates around 133 million jobs and only cuts 75 million jobs. The employees in the phased-out jobs could be unskilled and assigned new roles in alignment with the new industrial revolution.

Global Trends Associated with Industry 4.0 #

Industry 4.0 promotes several projects, but the most vital trend is increased localization. This means that the production houses, manufacturing, and factories are getting closer to their customer base. Other global trends to look out for include:

Enhanced Cybersecurity and privacy
Industrial robots
3D printing
AR
Increased transparency
Cloud computation

Training Employees for Industry 4.0 #

Some methods for training your employees to adopt Industry 4.0 are:

Upskilling and Deskilling Employees #

The idea of deskilling employees might seem intimidating, but it offers more benefits than hiring a new workforce. Besides increasing employee satisfaction, it is a more cost-effective and faster process.

Searching for new employees, onboarding, and making them familiar with the workspace is time-consuming. In contrast, with a few inputs, it is easier to train existing employees within the organization.

Re-training for Soft Skills #

Soft skills prove as crucial as other skills in defining the competitiveness of the employees in their job. It makes them better communicators, improves the influx of innovative ideas, and increases their adaptability and ability to embrace new career challenges.

Some soft skill domains for training can include:

Emotional Intelligence
Collaboration
Creativity
Persuasiveness

Enhance Training Techniques #

To prepare to adapt to the digital revolution, your organization needs to improve its training methods. Two examples of achieving this goal are using AR and online performance support.

Implementing novel training techniques can give employees a better idea of what they would work with, improve the appeal of their prospective careers, and increase employee satisfaction.

How to Meet the Employees? #

Industry 4.0 training involves addressing individuals where they are, irrespective of their countries or cities.

Some of the training patterns we see in version 4.0 are just upgraded versions of training we’ve already seen. The following are some of them.

AR Training

In 2017, a study published in the Harvard Business Review discovered that augmented reality was already enhancing factory workers’ productivity.

Microlearning

Mobile devices are used to give quick information and instruction that is intended to help workers acquire new skills as they are required. These technologies provide information precisely when and where employees need it since they are made to be delivered in the manner in which the brain learns best.

On-the-job Training #

Employees learn while working by undergoing on-the-job training. Employ a strategy that is cumulative so that workers can gradually acquire the various skills they need.

As workers adapt to the requirements of industry 4.0 technology, this kind of training might also lead to decreased downtime.

Online Checklist #

Using digital checklists, employees can learn the procedures and systems required for a specific job or location.

Digital Support #

Mobile-first digital performance support gives employees immediate access to industry 4.0 technologies.

VR Training

While upholding quality standards and increasing output, virtual reality training can assist in lowering manufacturing costs. This training is urgent, given the global shortages and rising demand.

Companies that Implemented Training Modules for Workers for Smart Manufacturing #

Several organizations deny the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on how they conduct business. Even if companies understand the importance of Industry 4.0, they are either unprepared or struggling to identify talent, knowledge, and opportunities that come with the new industrial evolution.

Only some firms understand the essence of embracing industry 4.0 and have implemented training modules for workers for smart manufacturing. There are two ways of deskilling the existing workforce in manufacturing: By doing it within the organization or by outsourcing the training process.

Some organizations that have embraced Industry 4.0 and training methods for their employees are Schneider Electric, Bosch, SAP SE, ABB, and Hitachi.

What’s Next? #

According to Custom Market Insights (CMI), the market cap of Industry 4.0 was 118.11 billion US dollars in 2021 which is projected to reach approximately 155.76 billion US dollars by 2030, showing a CAGR growth rate of 14.3 percent.

These statistics are proof that Industry 4.0 isn’t just a buzzword. It is a revolution organizations need to prepare for so that their competition in the cut-throat marketplace doesn’t outrun them.

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