BP:
 
Press release

“Continuing training – essential for the future world of work!”

Digitalisation, robots and artificial intelligence will change work

07/2018 | Bonn, 15.02.2018

“Continuing training – essential for the future world of work!”

Friedrich Hubert Esser, President of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), has said that the world of work of the future will require greater importance to be attached to continuing training. He stressed, “In tomorrow’s world of work, we will see rising quantities of data, a shortening of the half-life period of knowledge, and increased flexibility in the workplace. Continuing training has long ceased being an option. It is now a must.” Professor Esser was writing in the latest issue of BIBB’s journal “Vocational Education and Training in Research and Practice (BWP)”, which takes “Continuing training” as its special focus.

He explained that digital transformation, the deployment of robots and the growing influence of artificial intelligence would all bring about unprecedented shifts in work and production processes. Work and learning would undergo fundamental change. “Dealing with high-performance IT infrastructures and working and learning in virtual and augmented reality environments or with the assistance of explanatory videos and tutorials are not pie in the sky scenarios any more,” he continued.

Given the current status of knowledge, Professor Esser believes that an intelligent and creative mix of face-to-face and network-aided continuing training provision is the only qualitatively suitable pathway via which qualified workers can acquire the additional skills they need in a sustainable way and within the work process. “However, smart continuing training provision also requires smart continuing training staff who are able to combine tried-and-tested didactic expertise with new technology in an innovative way. The focus now needs to be on supporting and training these learning architects of the future.”

Further information is available in the latest issue of the BIBB journal “Vocational Training in Research and Practice – (BWP)”, Issue 1/2018, special focus “Continuing training” at https://www.bibb.de/en/76837.php (Editorial) and at https://www.bibb.de/veroeffentlichungen/en/bwp/show/8578 (whole journal).

The Year of Science 2018 is devoted to the topic of “Working Worlds of the Future”. The Year of Science is an initiative launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in conjunction with the organisation “Science in Dialogue” (WiD). For more information, please visit www.wissenschaftsjahr.de (in German only).

Specimen copy requested if printed.