The paradox of the fourth industrial revolution, the era of the Digital Factory, is that human capital will remain a crucial resource to seize its opportunities. With the advent of the concept of Industry 4.0, the dichotomy between man and robot has been overcome and replaced by the centrality of human resources in the digitisation process.
The human factor must be enhanced even before technology. There are no technology and innovation, without adequate human resources. The technological changes call for a different education and culture for students and workers.
Strengthening the school-work link, as many European countries are doing, is certainly one of the keys to preparing the new generations of engineers to the reality of the digital factory, which develops so quickly that knowledge becomes obsolete within a few years.
Plug & play training and the development of professionals ready to enter specific work environments are the solutions to reduce the gap between students' education and businesses' needs.
The ipcm Academy project, i.e. the professional training courses organised by the ipcm® magazine, is aimed precisely at this.