Review Article

Exponential Disruptive Technologies and the Required Skills of Industry 4.0

Table 3

Required skills of industry 4.0.

Technical skillsPersonal (soft) skills
Theory and expertise skillsHardware skillsSoftware and algorithms skills (digital skills)

Material and production skills, process skills, electrical engineering, software, ICT, statistical knowledgeMechanical and plant engineering, automation technology, mechatronics, microsystems technology, electronics, hydraulics, specialized knowledge of manufacturing activities and process, awareness of ergonomics, designers, grid optimization engineering, manufacturing operations managementDocumentation and reading, integration, customizing (process mapping)Self and time management, adaptability and ability to change, team-working abilities, social skills, communication skills, trust in new technology, creativity, design, innovation, leadership, mindset for continuous improvement and lifelong learning, complexity, abstraction and problem-solving, self-directed action, self-organization, project management, human interaction, languages (English, German, etc.), autonomy, cognitive flexibility, responsibility, reliability, service orientation, negotiation, critical thinking, people management, coordinating, decision-making, service orientation
Knowledge of management, organizational and processual, understandingMaintenance, servicing and further development of the systems, training and continuous professional development, IT knowledge and abilities, data and information processing and analytics, ability to interact with modern interfaces (human-machine/human-robot), awareness for IT security and data protection, computer programming/coding abilities, software engineering, data science, analytical/logic thinking, data/Big Data analytics, visualization, Internet of Things (IoT), IT architecture, digital media, virtual modelling, information complexity and data management, process simulation knowledge, server’s knowledge, emotional intelligence
Interdisciplinary/generic knowledge about technologies and organizations, understanding of legal affairs, product management, multiproject management, supply chain and support services, logistics, abilities in the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), general understanding of machine interactions, general interdisciplinary knowledge of methods

Modified from [13, 19, 26, 37, 116, 200, 202206].