Digitalisation and artificial intelligence - launch of a joint project to promote further training in SMEs
The three cooperation partners had previously successfully applied to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs' federal programme "Development of further training networks". The joint project, which has now been approved, aims to sensitise companies and employees in OWL to the topic of digitalisation and artificial intelligence and to open up the way to suitable further training measures. This goal will be realised through three sub-projects in which the three project partners can each play to their strengths. To this end Wiebke Esdar, Member of the Bundestag for Bielefeld and Werther: "The federal government's funding approval is a great endorsement for the OWL region. It shows that we are at the forefront when it comes to further training. This will be important for the future of our employees and for our economy."
In addition to the overall administrative management of the joint project, the IfB the DigiTruck" sub-project. "The DigiTruck's mobile exhibition space gives employees the opportunity to actively engage with the digitalisation of their working environment and explore the world of work 4.0. The truck, which is equipped with technology to touch and try out, travels directly to companies in the region and serves as a low-threshold introduction to the project topic," says Janine Leifert, Managing Director of IfB OWL. The outreach nature of the DigiTruck makes it possible to reach a large number of employees directly, to sensitise them and to create prospects for tailor-made further training immediately afterwards. Thanks to the close cooperation with our project partners, all employees can receive targeted and customised further training.
In the Sub-project "Future: Further training" brings the gpdm from Paderborn is contributing its more than 20 years of experience in further education and networking in OWL. The focus of the sub-project is on tapping into the potential for further training that already exists in OWL through effective networking and agency work. In dialogue with companies and employees, gpdm explores the need for further training and coordinates further training initiatives on the basis of existing further training structures, newly created offers and the opening of "in-house solutions" that already exist in companies. "Our experience shows that the search for suitable further training opportunities is so time-consuming for companies that they often end up foregoing training. We want to tackle this problem with the project and build a bridge to good offers for companies and employees," says Nicole Glawe-Miersch, Network Manager BANG Networks, gpdm.
Newly created training structures that also cover existing needs are to be implemented in the third quarter. Sub-project "Workshop career" are created. The project partner is responsible for this ELHA from Hövelhof. As a successful medium-sized company that has also developed its own training programmes, ELHA brings valuable experience and perspectives to the table. The focus here is on the Topic of artificial intelligence (AI)The aim is to familiarise employees with this in the form of practical discussions. "By permanently setting up various demonstrators in the Werdegang Werkstatt, AI is made tangible. By trying them out at no cost, entrepreneurs and employees can gain initial experience with AI and discover practical applications." Marie Strunz, HR Officer at ELHA, is certain that "the not insignificant hurdle of initial contact with AI" can be made easier in this way.
The project is supported by a wide range of stakeholders in the region. For example, leading figures from the regional economy, science, associations, the further education landscape and trade unions were involved in the development of the project. Their expertise is being channelled through a Project advisory boardwhich is actively involved in the organisation of the overall project, is integrated into the joint project.
The aim of the project funding is to create a deeper network of small and medium-sized enterprises in order to enable further training, especially in the field of digitalisation and AI." Digitalisation brings with it many challenges that are sometimes more difficult for small and medium-sized companies to master than for industry giants with large reserves and investment power. OWL has always been characterised by a high degree of networking in its corporate landscape, so it is only logical to continue on this path to master the ongoing structural change," says Janine Leifert.
On the following website you will find the previous awards of the funding project: www.elha.de/wbv
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