Competency Models for the Digital Transformation and Digitalization in European SMEs and Implications for Vocational Training in Learning Factories and Makerspaces

In Europe, SMEs account for the majority of businesses and are important contributors to job creation and global economic development. The digitalization of business processes of manufacturing companies offers enormous potentials in terms of productivity. Nevertheless, the digitalization level of SMEs is low compared to large enterprises, as SMEs lack in resources in terms of time, money, and personnel. Another reason is, that SMEs are lacking in qualified workforce for the digital transformation. Learning factories and makerspaces offer valuable learning environments to transfer competencies for the digital transformation and digitalization. In this paper the results of an interview study with SMEs are presented that included the investigation of required competencies of the workforce in this field. Moreover, the didactical transfer of one of the required competencies is shown and implications for trainings in learning factories and makerspaces are derived. In conclusion a structured analysis of available and required competences should be performed in order to provide tailored, modular training programs using digital infrastructures like learning factories and makerspaces.