ABS050 - The challenges of vocational training at the workplace in automated production processes in Germany

Production processes in Germany are undergoing increasing automation. This is bringing changes for skilled work in its wake, and these changes need to be addressed in terms of work organisation or via Training. The present paper investigates effects on skilled work by simulation and animation and in laser manufacture and light construction on the basis of various case studies from the “Diffusion of new technologies” (DifTech) project. It demonstrates how know-how from qualified skilled work contributes to the further development of these technologies whilst at the same time being altered by automation. This is a challenge for the future development of vocational education in Germany which is very close to the workplace. The project follows the activity theory approach put forward by Engeström. The necessity of integrating the expertise of qualified skilled work in the further development of automated and digitalised work processes in cross-company networks is, however, also illustrated on the basis of the case studies.