Digitalisation is changing manufacturing – but effective reskilling is about more than teaching people how to use new software.
The E-SHIFT needs analysis showed that workers need a combination of digital, entrepreneurial and transversal competences to navigate changing workplaces and explore new professional opportunities. Based on these findings, the E-SHIFT partnership has now started developing its learning programme.
The future training will address areas that have emerged as particularly relevant during the research. These include digital skills and data literacy, cybersecurity and data protection, working with artificial intelligence, digital problem-solving, and entrepreneurial competences. E-commerce and digital business opportunities will also play an important role.
But what people learn is only one part of the equation. How they learn matters just as much.
Workers in manufacturing and assembly often have limited time available for additional training. They also bring very different levels of digital experience and, importantly, a wealth of professional and practical knowledge that should be recognised rather than overlooked.
E-SHIFT therefore aims to provide learning that is:
- short and flexible, using a microlearning approach;
- practical, with examples and activities connected to real situations;
- accessible, including for learners who are less confident with digital technologies;
- relevant, focusing on competences that can support both current work and future career opportunities;
- personalised, building on existing competences and individual learning needs.
The aim is not to turn manufacturing workers into IT specialists. It is to give them the confidence and competences to use digital technologies effectively, understand new opportunities and make informed decisions about their own professional development.
Over the coming months, E-SHIFT partners will turn this approach into concrete learning modules and activities – taking another step towards flexible learning pathways for the digital transition.
