The focus this year was on digitisation – and by extension, automation and robotics too – the effect on employment
Ceemet Director General Uwe Combüchen described in his speech the overall and global setting and challenges for manufacturing industry.
The Vice President of the European Commission, Andrus Ansip, reminded the audience in his speech that technological development will continue, with or without us. It has always helped us advance: streamlining output, saving labour, cutting costs. But that rising productivity can easily be accompanied by shrinking employment. And that there is no economic law that says technology has to help everybody.
Social partner perspective
Being a Sectorial Social Partner, Ceemet was very pleased that Vice-President Ansip honoured the good relation with industriAll and especially highlighted the joint statement on Digitalisation.
Ceemet President Diego Andreis, used the angle as entrepreneur for his speech. Topics on education (skillsgap) and cybersecurity dominated. A 5G network is good for business, but what is it worth if it is not safe.
President Andreis reminded the audience that he highlighted last year to Commissioner Oettinger the importance of establishing a Chief Digitalisation Officer in schools. This in order to match skills and needs for the digital transformation.
Not an unnecessary luxury it seems as the DESI figure shows that 44% of Europeans lack basic digital skills. A CDO in schools would boost and deepen the cooperation between companies and education providers. Through a regular exchange companies and education providers should adjust education paths to the needs of the labour markets.
