CONTEXT

The transition to « Industry 4.0 », now an essential step for industrial companies, represents not only a technological challenge but also a human and organizational one. It requires new skills, new jobs and therefore upgraded employee qualifications.

To meet these qualification requirements, both initial and continuing vocational education play a key role. Education must adapt by integrating the new imperatives but also allow the teachers themselves to access ongoing training in a flexible way, throughout their career, to take on board future new technologies and the changes they generate. Companies are also playing an increasingly important role in providing innovative employee training initiatives to adapt to the significant changes they have to face.

Many reports and studies have shown firstly that there is currently no organized continuing training program for teachers to learn about new developments in industry, secondly and that it is difficult for companies to set up comprehensive training programs -employee training is often confined to a specific solution and its implementation. Bridging these gaps will make the European vocational education system more competitive by promoting the employability of students and by adapting their skills to industry needs and technological developments.

ISSUE

Our « 3TIndustry4.0 » project is based on an innovative model. It will connect two types of professionals in education: teachers in higher education and industry trainers. This encounter will enable the transfer of skills between the two groups of professionals and meet the needs of industry4.0.

OPERATION

The core of 3TIndustry4.0 is the creation of online training modules and of a network of collaboration throughout Europe. The framework of each of these modules is the presentation of a case study with supplementary theoretical material.

Each module will be developed in the form of a webinar. The participants will access an online presentation during which they will be able to interact with the lecturer. The webinar recordings will constitute a database accessible from a platform created as part of the project.

This free digital platform linked from the project website will compile the training materials and also serve as a tool for data sharing and a forum. 3TIndustry4.0 will thus create and develop a European network for the sharing of teaching practices between training professionals who can exchange via the platform’s discussion board during and after the end of the project.

The 3TIndustry4.0 modules will also be useful to introduce students of higher secondary level to digital technologies and different jobs in industry.