RISE Digital pedagogy: skills supply for industry - Sweden

Sweden is facing a gigantic need for upskilling in the manufacturing industry. However, the educational options are few. This is why the research institute Rise led the feasibility study “Digital pedagogy – skills supply for industry”.

Summary

How will the workers in the manufacturing industry manage when the industry is changing at a furious pace? Traditional industries need to join the global wave of digitalisation, electrification and other developments. We are also seeing completely new industries emerging, such as battery development. The Swedish manufacturing industry represents a massive need for skills development. However, there is currently a lack of relevant non-academic education and training measures to meet existing needs. Rise conducted a pre-study that focused on method development, pedagogy for best learning, and opportunities for scalable and digital learning. The target group was people who work in production.

Background

The project “Digital Pedagogy – Skills Supply for Industry” conducted a pre-study focusing on method development and pedagogy for effective learning, especially adapted for adults in the production sector. The study also explored scalable and digitally strengthened learning. This is particularly relevant now that society, including Sweden’s industry, underwent major changes driven by digitalisation, electrification and the need for a green transition.

The project identified an urgent need to develop learning methods and educational content adapted to adult learning, especially for production staff who are often outside the traditional academic pathway. The need for change in industry was high, and there was an increasing demand to include employees in skills development processes, which required new approaches to effectively integrate learning in the workplace.

The aim of the project was to identify the conditions and opportunities required to include all workers in the ongoing paradigm shift. It was about harnessing human resources and increasing organisations’ ability to address future challenges through a more inclusive approach to learning.

The preliminary study, which was completed in early 2023, involved a number of actors such as Production Lift, IF Metall, Teknikföretagen, and others, and included activities such as expert interviews, workshops and prototyping collaborations. The final results of the study were made available on a digital platform where stakeholders could download a guidebook and other resources summarising the collected knowledge and recommendations.

This research was crucial to strengthen the adaptability of industry and ensure that all employees are well prepared for the future, with a particular focus on those working in production. The project demonstrated the need for continuous dialogue and collaboration between different sectors in order to create a resilient and inclusive society.

Digital Education: The Future of Competence Supply in Industry

Rise, together with its partners, launched a project aimed at revolutionising skills development in industry through digital pedagogy. The project, a pre-study, focused on developing methods and strategies that promote lifelong learning and continuous skills development, especially among production professionals.

Digital Education: A new era of learning

The project aimed to explore and develop digital pedagogical methods that could be adapted to the unique needs and conditions of personnel working in production. By adopting an innovative approach, the project aimed to make learning more accessible, flexible and adaptable to the rapidly changing demands of the world of work.

Skills supply: The Meeting of Needs and Opportunities

The project examined the current challenges and opportunities in skills supply, with a particular focus on identifying and addressing the factors that hindered effective skills development. This included considering various aspects such as work environment, accessibility of educational resources, and individual motivation and commitment to learning.

Industry: A Changing Landscape

The industry was undergoing a period of significant transformation, driven by digitalisation and global challenges. The project aimed to support this transformation by ensuring that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt to and thrive in this dynamic environment.

The manufacturing industry faces specific challenges

The purpose of the project was to find out what needed to be in place in order for skills development to be realised. In order to carry out change work on a large scale, employees at all levels needed to be involved. The manufacturing industry faced specific challenges in the form of shift work, training facilities and varying opportunities for training. It was precisely these target groups the study initially aimed to reach.

The pre-study consisted of an exploratory part with acquired knowledge, pedagogy, empiricism and research on the field of professional learning. Pilots were also conducted in collaboration with industry actors such as Production Lift, IF Metall, Teknikföretagen, Skärteknikcentrum Sverige, Göteborgs Tekniska College and Encell (Centre for Lifelong Learning at Jönköping University).

The idea is that the pre-study compiled a research overview with recommendations, providing the basis for carrying out larger pilots in the future.