The Association of Mechanical Engineering and Metalworking Industries of Latvia (MASOC) from 15 till 30 August 2017 made survey about companies’ needs for implementation of industry 4.0 with specific focus on employees. 30 mechanical engineering and metalworking companies participated in the survey.

Main results were that 33.3% of mechanical engineering and metalworking companies in Latvia expect very significant changes related to industry 4.0, 40% -less significant and only 26.7% are not expecting any changes related to industry 4.0.

The main challenges of companies for implementation of industry 4.0 in the future are missing knowledge of the employees (65.5%) and lacking degree of maturity of the technologies (65.5%) and too high costs (58.6%).

Companies evaluated that their employees for implementation of industry 4.0 in the future should have more knowledge of special mechanical skills, e.g. 4-axle, 5-axle, driven tools, CAD/CAM-systems, new materials (83.3%); electro-technical and mechanical competencies (80%) and robotic (80%).  

They consider most important soft skills that employees as well as trainees have to have for the implementation of industry 4.0 are handling of innovations (83.3%) and willingness of knowledge acquisition (70%).

In the initial vocational training to simplify the implementation of industry 4.0 trainees should be trained at: special mechanical skills , e.g. 4-axle, 5-axle, driven tools, CAD/CAM-systems,  new materials (96.7%),  robotic, e.g. connection of IT aspects with control technology and application of the robot (83.3%), IT skills, e.g.  handling, maintenance of software, cyber-physical-systems (76.6%), Electrotechnical and mechanical competencies(73.3%).