Industry 4.0 and qualification: Previewing by reviewing

A new wave of exciting and intoxicating technological development is washing over us under the name of Industry 4.0, and this time in the form of “cyber-physical” or multi agent systems” (MAS), which are seen as the driving forces behind a revolutionary development. This is now the third wave since the start of digitalisation in the late 1940s. On previous occasions this has been followed by phases of calm, and a search for productive and practical uses of the technical capabilities available. This reoccurring pattern – with a wave length of approximately 30 years – throws up questions regarding the interplay between engineering, organisations and work capacity as well as the consequences for work and qualifications. The article seeks answers to these questions.