Interactive Workshop

From Skills Gap to Skills Strategy: Rethinking Digital Competencies in Manufacturing

Duration: 45 minutes

Digital transformation is reshaping work processes and competency requirements in the manufacturing industry. These changes raise important questions regarding the alignment between employees’ existing digital skills and employers’ evolving needs. Building on the research framework of the DIGTRA project, Digital Transition in the Labour Market: Digital Skills in the Croatian Manufacturing Industry, this interactive workshop will bring together representatives of academia, industry and education to discuss the challenges associated with identifying and addressing digital skills gaps.

The workshop will combine a moderated roundtable discussion with collaborative group activities. Participants will explore relevant digital competencies, discuss approaches to assessing skills needs, identify potential barriers to employee upskilling and consider strategies for strengthening cooperation between manufacturing companies and educational institutions.

Through a structured action-oriented exercise, participants will develop practical proposals addressing competency assessment, employee training and the monitoring of skills development. The workshop will conclude with a synthesis of key discussion points and recommendations for further research and practice.

The session aims to facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and contribute to the discussion on digital skills development and workforce adaptation in the context of digital transformation.