Indian manufacturing companies are creating a global footprint for themselves in the context of the new political and economic realities. They are establishing manufacturing facilities outside of India, acquiring companies globally, or exporting to international markets from within India.
This changing reality naturally changes the rules of the game that Indian manufacturing companies have to play by. To be globally competitive, we have to be excellent across many dimensions – greater supply chain efficiencies, improved manufacturing processes, meeting global quality standards, zero waste, and of course, all this at competitive pricing levels.
To create such a manufacturing facility, companies are embracing what is called IR 4.0 (Industrial Revolution) technologies in their supply chain and manufacturing processes. But there is an axiom when adopting new technologies of any kind.
The axiom reads, “It is always first the who, then the what.” It is essential to have people with the right set of competencies before embarking on the IR 4.0 journey. Similarly, an individual who aspires to grow in the IR 4.0 domain must build the right set of competencies to succeed.
The competence framework shown in the diagram below can be used to initiate a discussion within the organisation or used by individuals to grow themselves in this area.
This model categorizes competencies across four dimensions.
- Technology competencies: are those that are more fundamental in nature, change less frequently, and are relevant irrespective of the size of the installations.
- On the other hand, technical competencies are more implementation-oriented, tools-based, and change more frequently. They are typically instantiations of one or more of the more fundamental technologies.
- Engineering competencies are the knowledge and skills required to craft a solution for a particular manufacturing site.
- The last set, but perhaps the most critical – professional competencies, are competencies that differentiate a successful IR 4.0 professional from the also-rans.
Individuals who aspire to craft a career in the IR 4.0 domain could use this taxonomy to decide what areas of competence they need to build.
Organisations, too, can use such a model to identify the areas of competencies in which they need to fill gaps.
This is refined into four dimensions.
Technology Competences
- Real-time systems
- Embedded systems
- Edge, Fog and Cloud Computing
- Wired and wireless communication
- Industrial IoT
- Human-machine interfaces
- Additive manufacturing
- Data Science
Technical Competences
- Programming for real-time applications
- Sensors and actuators
- Communication protocols
- Secure systems
- Robotics
- AI/ML
- XR
- Mobility
- Algorithms
Engineering Competences
- Systems engineering and integration
- Software architecture
- Closed-loop control systems
- Meeting NFRs
- Process optimization
- Application domain
- Technology Strategy
- TQM
Professional Competences
- Systems thinking
- Critical thinking
- Creative problem solving
- Collaboration and team working
- Willingness to learn
- Managing ambiguity
- Business acumen
A competence model is never complete unless one talks about the level of performance of an individual against them. The framework below allows individuals to design a growth path for themselves.
For an organisation, such a model helps them define the workforce they need. A strategic workforce plan can be drawn up that includes the number of engineers required at each level and their quality. This is obviously dependent on the IR 4.0 vision the organisation has set for itself.
Basic
- Has a basic understanding of the subject area
- Delivers based on instructions provided by someone else
- Needs close supervision
- Can identify own errors
- May seek help in handling even minor issues
Practitioner
- Has an advanced understanding of the subject area
- Can make operational decisions that impact own and other people’s work
- Can work independently with minimal supervision
- Can review other’s work
- Can resolve errors efficiently and effectively
Advanced
- Has sufficient understanding to coach others
- Can make decisions at a subsystem level
- Can design subsystems
- Can design processes that minimise errors
- Most issues are resolved by this person
- He is a role model in this area of competence
Expert
- Is a thought leader in the area
- Can architect complex systems
- Can make strategic decisions at a system level
Final Thoughts
In summary, it is essential to remember that the team responsible for implementing IR 4.0 initiatives is not merely a group of engineers. They are engineers with deep competencies covering a broad set of areas. Building this workforce takes time, effort, and resources. Successful organisations have typically created a strategy to build or buy such competencies – before embarking on the IR 4.0 journey.
Remember our axiom “It is always first the who, then the what.”