RWTH and MTM Collaborate on Industry 4.0 Qualification Initiative
As part of the New Quality of Work Initiative, INQA for short, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs provides funding for a three-year project coordinated by the RWTH Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL and the German MTM Association.
Over the next three years, the New Quality of Work Initiative will provide 625,000 euros for the joint project between WZL, a leading production engineering institute and Industry 4.0 expert center, and MTM, a services provider focusing on the design of work processes. In consultation with the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as well as companies and employers, WZL and MTM will contribute to shaping the increasingly digital world of work.
The project, titled "SME 4.0 – Companies and Employees Shape the Digital Transformation," supports small and medium enterprises in identifying new staff qualification requirements and develop and implement suitable educational programs to meet these requirements. The overall aim of the project is to enable employees to contribute to implementing Industry 4.0 technologies in their companies. The educational programs will focus on six areas of qualification: innovation capacity, digital production, digital work, organizational learning, leadership and communicative skills, and workplace innovation.
Development of an Education and Training Strategy with Industrial Partners
The education and training strategy is developed with and implemented at five companies from the metal and electrical sector, Polierscheibenfabrik G.A. Spaeth eK, Ph-MECHANIK GmbH & Co. KG, Periplast GmbH & Co. KG, Julius Montz GmbH, and Rhein-Getriebe GmbH. Moreover, the project receives support from six value partners, Gesellschaft für innovative Beschäftigungsförderung mbH Bottrop, DFA Demonstrationsfabrik Aachen GmbH, GOM Gesellschaft für Organisationsentwicklung und Mediengestaltung mbH, memex GmbH, i2solutions GmbH, and Heinen Automation GmbH & Co. KG.
Founded in 2002 by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and leading social partners, the Initiative New Quality of Work seeks to adapt the world of work to the demands of the future. Through its activities, the Initiative addresses the question of how work can be profitable for companies and healthy, motivating and attractive for employees. It represents a nonpartisan alliance which includes Federal and State governments, business associations, trade unions, the Federal Employment Agency, companies, social insurance providers, and foundations.