Industry 4.0 is a collective term for technologies and concepts of value chain organization such as smart factories. The vision of smart factories is facilitated through cyber-physical systems (CPS), the Internet of Things and the Internet of Service. Cyber-physical systems monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the physical world and make decentralized decisions. They communicate and cooperate with each other and humans in real time using the Internet of Things. The Internet of Services offers both internal and cross-organizational services actors in the value chain. This so-called“fourth industrial revolution” comprises technical developments leading to a highly connected world as well as intelligent technologies requiring operators with new or changed qualifications.

Therefore, continuing education is a key factor for the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts. The development, realization and control of data-driven processes, business models and digital technologies needed in Industry 4.0 requires a whole new set of extended or alternative competences and leads to new or changing job profiles. In order to identify these new requirements, an extensive evaluation of the existing education and qualification offers on different levels is needed. In addition, the identification of potential future effects, chances and risks, as well as the emerging challenges regarding the education area, have to be identified early on so that providers of qualification training can develop implementation and development strategies. Due to the often conflicting and heterogeneous estimations and perspectives of the human factor in Industry 4.0, an in depth examination is required.

This survey “use-case based identification of qualifications required for Industry 4.0 and their effects regarding the Austrian educational landscape” (in German abbrev. AEIQU), identifies job specifications relevant for Industry 4.0 based on an analysis of use cases in SMEs and major enterprises from different industrial sectors in Austria, in order to derive the required core competencies. A national education map shows the existing course offers and further trainings and tries to match them with the previously identified core competencies. In addition, this survey includes a list of measures to be taken, containing recommendations for the initiation, consolidation and long-lasting assurance of a structured and continuous knowledge transfer between the industry and the Austrian educational landscape.