Industry 4.
0 User’s Guide:
Educator Edition
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 1
Contents
Introduction: The Rise of Worker 4.0 . . . . . . 03
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04
Tools and Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04
Features of Industry 4.0 Education . . . . . . 05
Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06
The Numbers that Make Worker 4.0 . . . . . . 07
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 2
INTRODUCTION
The Rise of Worker 4.0
Robotics. Artificial intelligence. Data. Virtual ecosystems. Rapid prototyping. These are the hallmarks of
Industry 4.0, also referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 follows the innovations of water
and steam power in Industry 1.0, electrical power in Industry 2.0, and information technology and electronics in
Industry 3.0. It is an evolution in industry that represents a paradigm shift from the assembly lines popularized
by the U.S. automotive industry. Whereas the values typified by those initial factories prioritized profitability
over people and safety standards, modern manufacturing has evolved to place an equally high value on clean
technology, virtual ecosystems, collaborative robots, and on-demand, yet affordable, customization. But most
notably, Industry 4.0 is giving rise to the demand for a new kind of employee: Worker 4.0.
People who are considered Worker 4.0 are currently in manufacturing-related degree programs in colleges
and universities across the country. Or perhaps Worker 4.0 will be arriving on campus soon as a current
manufacturing employee needing to update his or her skills. As the U.S. rapidly converts to a new type of
industrial economy of automation and workflow optimization, low-skill jobs are disappearing.1 Careers in
Industry 4.0 are highly technical roles that require some post-secondary education and a mix of hard and soft
skills. Skills like computer programming, problem solving, creativity, and mathematics are all essential for
Worker 4.0 to possess.
To train Worker 4.0 effectively, educators must adapt the current formats and contents of degrees and training
programs. Industry 4.0 continues to push innovations at lightning speed, meaning partnership and collaboration
with employers is vital. Hands-on training methods may also need to be updated, as Worker 4.0 will be using
more advanced technologies in the workplace than exist on college campuses today. Exploring other avenues of
education, such as apprenticeships and certifications, to complement these hands-on training exercises is also
essential in preparing Worker 4.0. Proper and holistic Industry 4.0 training will empower the next generation of
manufacturing workers to learn beyond techniques and will give them access to the type of hands-on training
and information they need to become industry experts for long-lasting careers.
This guide provides a look at what educators need to know about Industry 4.0 and how they can best prepare
Worker 4.0 for the realities of the current and future factory.
Skills Gap:
There is a growing skills gap in manufacturing, perpetuated by lack of training on new skills, a quickly retiring workforce
of Baby Boomers, and a shortage of new workers to fill their spot. Neglecting the information in this guide could
exacerbate the deficit of skilled workers, causing more damage to employers, educational programs, and individuals.
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 3
Specifications
There are many parts in the Industry 4.0 ecosystem. Each element represents a small but substantial evolution for
manufacturing and impacts what Worker 4.0 needs to know and do to get jobs of the future. Taken together, these
components show the seismic shift of the fourth industrial revolution.
Automation Virtual ecosystems Training
• Clean technology • Rapid prototyping • Apprenticeships
• Efficiency • On-demand customization • Certification
• Robotics • Simulation • Cross-disciplinary
• Self learning • Industrial Internet of Things • Hands-on learning
• Decentralization - Two-way communication • Higher education
• Artificial Intelligence - Real-time analytics • Industry collaboration
• Productivity - Efficiency • Jobs of the future
• Smart Networking - Big Data - Middle-skills jobs
• Wireless • Connected machines - High-skills jobs
Communication - Cobots • Simulation
Tools and Skills
Tools Skills
College degree Computer programming Ingenuity
Technical training Critical thinking Math
Hands-on learning Engineering design mindset Analyzing and interpreting data
On-the-job training Entrepreneurial mindset Problem solving
Industrial design thinking Communication skills
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 4
Features of Industry 4.0 Education
Apprenticeships
Learn, practice, work: the apprenticeship trifecta. Apprenticeships teach Worker 4.0 the theories and principles of
manufacturing and how to translate that knowledge into a work environment during on-the-job training. Careers
in smart factories require highly specific and hard-to-obtain hard and soft skills. The mix of classroom instruction
and training under the guidance of an experienced technician makes apprenticeships effective in preparing their
graduates for the jobs of the future. Apprenticeships are on the rise, as there are currently 505,000 registered
apprenticeships according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL).
Certification
Certification Programs allow workers to acquire and demonstrate specific skills in short amounts of time. These
types of programs are great extensions of the education individuals get during two- or four-year degree programs
and help reduce the amount of on-the-job training required for new employees. Their condensed and focused
structure means the content of certification programs can more easily keep pace with industry growth, evolving as
technology in manufacturing changes. They are especially valuable for older workers who may need to develop new
skills required in Industry 4.0.
Cross-learning and training
Working in advanced manufacturing requires a broad understanding of the factory’s processes. No longer do
workers simply pull a lever or lift heavy objects manually. Worker 4.0 needs a mix of knowledge from engineering,
mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines to undertake complex problem solving. Additionally, the
future of work is collaboration. New workers will regularly use soft skills such as written and verbal communication
as they work with their bosses, with their team members, and with colleagues in other departments.
Hands-on training
Hands-on training turns learning into doing for the next generation of manufacturing workers. Training on
equipment that resembles real-world labs makes future careers feel tangible and deepens students’ understanding
of what they learn in class. When colleges invest in technology, whether that be equipment, simulations, or both,
they help prepare students for a successful future.
Partnership
Industry 4.0 is a fast-evolving change to how manufacturing functions. Educators cannot possibly keep up with
the shifts happening on factory floors on their own. Partnerships with industry, government, associations, and
other organizations are essential. Each partner has their role. Educators know the best ways to teach and train
Worker 4.0, but turning to external partners to build industry expertise and access equipment will accelerate
instructors’ ability to keep pace with change. Partnerships will come in many forms, including the previously
mentioned apprenticeships and certifications, but also as advisory councils, classroom speakers, workforce
development programs, and other configurations.
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 5
Maintenance and Care
The changes Worker 4.0 will feel from the fourth industrial revolution will not stop with what has already taken place.
Manufacturing will continue to evolve and require new skills from the workforce. To keep up, employees, educators,
and employers will need to commit to evolving continuously as the industry does. From the workforce, this will take
developing a mindset of lifelong learning. School will no longer be a discrete, one-time part of Worker 4.0’s life.
Instead, learning will be more like a cycle in which individuals will learn, and likely acquire credentials, throughout
their careers.
The responsibility of lifelong education will not be Worker 4.0’s alone. Employers must support continuous learning
through policies and practices. This could mean greater investments in new workforce development programs,
such as apprenticeships and stackable certifications, and certainly will require deep partnership with educators.
Educators should know the best practices in teaching and training, ensuring high-quality curricula that help Worker
4.0 develop critical skills quickly. Employers will be able to share what changes are happening today and what is
expected of tomorrow, as well as provide opportunities for on-the-job training. Establishing symbiotic relationships
between employers and educators where the two groups share this knowledge and expertise, as well as resources, is
paramount to sustaining success in Industry 4.0. Without this kind of ongoing maintenance and dedication to lifelong
learning, workers may suffer from high unemployment rates, and the U.S. manufacturing industry will decline. Yet if all
parties earnestly invest in continuous evolvement and constant communication, there is a bright future for Worker 4.0
and all who support this next generation of manufacturing employees.
Future of Manufacturing Education:
Current cultural perceptions of manufacturing
are prohibitive in recruiting Worker 4.0. Ideas
about dusty factory floors, low pay, lack of
job security, and unsophisticated technology
persist. The change Industry 4.0 is bringing
is an opportunity to rewrite the story to
show how manufacturing is evolving and the
critical role it plays in society. Education must
adapt to highlight these changes and attract
students to manufacturing careers.
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 6
The Numbers That Make Worker 4.0
Industry 4.0 is changing manufacturing. Sophisticated technologies and new processes create efficiencies and
drive revenue for employers.
By 2020: Companies will see:
• $493 billion annual increase in digital revenue globally
• $421 billion annual cost reduction globally2
• 2.1 million new jobs created by advanced manufacturing practices3
70% of manufacturing - But, 3.8 million manufacturing workers are 55 and older, meaning
companies expect to they will likely retire in the next 20 years and increase the number
be Industry 4.0-ready. of job openings.4
Running these new smart factories requires a new kind of employee – Worker 4.0 –
with a new skill set.
Top 10 Worker 4.0 Skills:
1. Complex problem solving 5. Coordinating with others 9. Negotiation
2. Critical thinking 6. Emotional intelligence 10. Cognitive flexibility5
3. Creativity 7. Judgement and decision making
4. People management 8. Service orientation
Employability:
Failure by Worker 4.0 and educators to recognize the changes brought by Industry 4.0 will hurt the employability
of individual manufacturing workers. Low-skills jobs are disappearing as machines and robots increasingly take
over the rote responsibilities of workers. The jobs of the future will be middle-skill and high-skill positions and
employees will need to develop the capabilities to fill them.
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 7
Industry 4.0 is changing the nature of careers in manufacturing as low-skills jobs are replaced
by middle- and high-skills careers.
54% of jobs in the U.S. are middle-skills jobs, but only 44% of the workforce have
the skills needed for these positions.
20% of workforce is trained for low-skills positions, but these positions make up
only 15% of job demand.6
The shift in expertise needed in Percent of employers that say Worker 4.0 is
the industry is creating a skills missing particular skills:
gap for Worker 4.0.
70% technology and computer skills
2 million jobs will go unfilled 69% problem-solving skills
because of the skills gap. 67% basic technical training
60% math skills7
To develop these skills and qualify for the new careers of Industry 4.0, Worker 4.0 will need a
combination of formal education, hands-on learning, and on-the-job training. This may include:
A college degree Apprenticeships Certification
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 8
Sources
1. National Skills Coalition. “Congress Should Invest in Adult Basic Education” fact sheet. 2016.
2. PwC. “Industry 4.0: Building the digital enterprise.” April 2016.
http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/ industries-4.0/landing-page/industry-4.0-building-your-digital-
enterprise-april-2016.pdf
3. World Economic Forum. “Five Million Jobs By 2020: The Real Challenge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
January 18, 2016.
https://www.weforum.org/press/2016/01/ ve-million-jobs-by-2020-the-real- challenge-of-the-fourth-
industrial-revolution/
4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.
January 19, 2018.
https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18b.htm
5. World Economic Forum. “The 10 skills you need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
January 19, 2016.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-
industrial-revolution/
6. Source: National Schools Coalition. “Congress Should Invest in Adult Basic Education”
fact sheet. 2016.
7. Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute. “The Skills Gap in U.S. Manufacturing: 2015 and Beyond.” 2015.
http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/~/media/827DBC76533942679A15EF7067A704CD.ashx
Industry 4.0 User’s Guide: Educator Edition 9
