By 2022, around four million industrial robots are expected to be in use in factories worldwide. They will play a key role in the further automation of production, which is urgently needed for a rapid economic recovery in the post-corona period.
This also increases the demand for qualified labour. The International Federation of Robotics is calling for training and further education programmes to be adapted accordingly.
„Governments and companies worldwide should focus on providing the necessary skills for dealing with robots and smart automation systems. This is necessary in order to fully utilise the potential of these technologies. The economic recovery in the post-corona period will accelerate the demand for robotics. Political and private sector strategies are needed to pave the way to a more automated economy for employees.“ Milton GuerryPresident of the International Federation of Robotics
Robotics will be part of the working world of the future
„At the moment, very few countries are taking a proactive approach to adapting their education system to the age of automation,“ said Saadia Zahidi, expert for education, gender and employment initiatives at the World Economic Forum. „The successful countries have been focussing on the development of human capital for a long time. Some northern European countries and Singapore are probably conducting the most meaningful experiments on the working world of the future.“
According to the report published by the The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) According to the „Automation Readiness Index”, only four countries have a mature education policy that meets the challenges of an automated economy. South Korea leads this ranking, followed by Estonia, Singapore and Germany. Countries such as Japan, the USA and France are categorised as developed - China still ranks as an emerging country.
According to the EIU, the governments' agenda must now include Multi-stakeholder dialogues, more training and international exchange of experience.
Setting the course for training and further education
Robot manufacturers already support education and training in robotics with practice-orientated training courses.
„However, retraining the existing workforce is only a short-term measure, so we need to start much earlier. School and training curricula need to be adapted to meet the demands of industry for the workforce of the future. These are on the one hand Technical and digital skills, but just as important are cognitive skills such as analytical and critical thinking. Economies should embrace automation and build up the necessary expertise. This is the only way to benefit from the advantages of technology - and not be left behind by international competition.“ Dr Susanne Bieller, Secretary General of the International Federation of Robotics
The topic Next Generation Workforce - Upskilling for Robotics will be discussed by experts at the IFR Executive Round Table on 9 December at the world's leading trade fair for smart automation and robotics automatica discussed in Munich.
[infotext icon]The International Federation of Robotics is the voice of the global robotics industry. It represents national robotics associations, educational institutions and robot manufacturers from more than twenty countries. IFR was founded in 1987 as a non-profit organisation[/infotext].SourceInternational Federation of Robotics
