Flexible core occupation structures for digitalised skilled work

Digitalisation has been taking place in the metal working and electrical industry for around a decade and is impacting both on the skills requirements of employees and on the structuring of the occupations themselves. Companies are reacting to the changed qualification needs by increasingly providing skilled workers with “hybrid” training, i.e. training which is aligned to mechanical, electrical and information technology requirements. The metal working and electrical occupations were partially updated in 2018 alongside the occupation of mechatronics fitter. Nevertheless, and despite the additional qualifications introduced, they are reaching their limits. Taking current developments at companies as its basis, the present article makes the case for adding a new core to the way in which occupational profiles are structured. The aim of such a realignment is to facilitate a more flexible and more precise reaction to needs.