The changing demand of digital skills in Finnish industries : Industrial engineering and management discipline

Abstract

Digitalization is a growing phenomenon that is changing the way organizations, people and societies operate. It influences on the products and services along with the activities inside the organization. Digital transformation is challenging companies as well as people to be digitally advanced and as a result, the skills industries require from their employees have changed to be more dynamic in nature. The change of skills demands investigation of the required digital skills and their integration in the universities’ curriculum. This study realizes the shift of demand in skills and explores the organizational changes as well as the digital skills that are in demand in the Finnish industries.

The study follows qualitative method of collecting data from company experts and academics using open-ended interviews. The result suggests that the organizations are highly invested in digitalization and integration of digital skills in their companies. With increased interest in digitalization in companies, the skills gap between the company’s demand and the availability in the workforce is widening. Results also revealed that the companies look for candidates with hard digital skills as well as cognitive skills in digital environment. From Industrial Engineering and Management perspective, the study emphasis on the digital skills for IEM discipline along with the approaches and importance of including them in the program.