Embracing Industry 4.0

THE radical technological advancements happening around us is blurring the lines between the physical and digital world, and especially now as we are shifting towards the Industry 4.0 revolution.

As this fourth industrial revolution is developing rapidly and influencing economic development globally, Sarawak is also moving in the same direction as we embrace the Digital Economy.

Shaped by the integration of technical advances such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things ( IoT), Industry 4.0 can be seen as a digital transformation applied to the manufacturing and services sector.

For those in the manufacturing sector, Industry 4.0 is a big turning point as automation and smoother flow of data exchange brings tremendous change.

However, there are fears that technology, especially with greater adoption of AI, would take away high-paying jobs from people.

Apart from that, there are concerns over cyber- attacks as security is still an issue in terms of protecting people’s privacy and confidentiality.

In an era that demands higher productivity, increased customization and greater flexibility, some might wonder how Industry 4.0 will provide opportunities for our youths.

According to the World Economic Forum’s ‘ Future of Jobs’ survey, one- third of the desired core skill sets of most occupations in 2020 will be different from today’s requirements.

Youths must realise that working in Industry 4.0 will shift the focus more on things like supervision of processes and optimisation activities, instead of manual work.

Thus, emphasis for the Industry 4.0 worker will be on skills such as programming and managing automated systems.

These days, it is also becoming more common to see youths, particularly in the tech startup sector, building mobile apps for example, which leads them to be job creators instead of job seekers.

As we are now transitioning from a labour- driven economy to a knowledge- driven society, early exposure to ICT education at every level will help prepare our youths for Industry 4.0.

And while some youth may not be directly involved in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic ( STEM) field of education or workforce, it is recommended that they still equip themselves with the necessary digital skills and knowledge through online courses or get experienced mentors.

The most important thing to remember is that the question is not if Industry 4.0 is coming, but how quickly.

As such, our youths must be prepared to embrace it or risk being left behind by the new technologies coming up every day.

This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.