The Luxembourg Digital Innovation Hub (L-DIH) has launched a unique catalogue listing the available training offer in Luxembourg targeting the needs of the manufacturing sector.
The new training catalogue was presented during a recent L-DIH webinar bringing together industry experts to discuss the current labour market trends and training opportunities in Luxembourg's digital field. The webinar provided valuable insights into the growing demand for tech jobs in the manufacturing sector and shed light on the skills and qualifications required for these positions.
The need for digital skills: main webinar takeaways
1. Manufacturing tech job landscape: high demand for IT developers
Inès Baer, Labour Market Data & Analytics at national employment agency ADEM, highlighted the growth of tech jobs in the manufacturing industry. "We see a clear growth trend in tech jobs within the manufacturing industry, with IT developers being the most in demand," she said.
2. Increasing opportunities in the manufacturing industry
Tech job opportunities in the manufacturing industry have more than doubled since 2016, despite a minor setback in 2020. Ms Baer expressed optimism about the future. "We anticipate this growth to continue."
3. A pressing need to address the talent shortage
The webinar also emphasised the challenge of a shortage of qualified candidates for tech jobs, particularly in IT-related roles. "There is a significant gap between job demand and the available talent pool," Ms Baer underlined.
4. Experience and qualifications required
Experience and educational qualifications play a crucial role in securing tech jobs in the manufacturing industry. "Around 76% of job vacancies require some level of professional experience, with a preference for short to medium-term experience," Ms Baer pointed out. She also emphasised the importance of having a university diploma, preferably at the bachelor's level.
5. The importance of language skills
Language skills are crucial in the manufacturing industry's tech job market. "While English is the most important language requirement, French is also highly valued, followed by German,” Ms Baer explained. “Luxembourgish, on the other hand, is less commonly required." Adaptability, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills were also identified as key competencies sought by employers.
Bridging the digital skills gap in manufacturing
The Luxembourg Digital Innovation Hub continues to be at the forefront of empowering businesses with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the digital era. With a strong focus on the manufacturing industry, the hub provides a unique overview of the most relevant training courses tailored to meet the evolving training needs of the companies operating in this sector. Experts from the Luxembourg House of Training, Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity and the Digital Learning Hub shared insights into their training offering that is now part of the L-DIH training catalogue specifically designed to increase digital skills and drive the competitiveness of the Luxembourg manufacturing sector.Christiane Wagner, Head of Manufacturing & Services at the Luxembourg House of Training, emphasised her organisation’s commitment to equipping professionals with the necessary skills for a digitalised and sustainable future. "Our goal is to provide sector-specific and cross-sectorial training that empowers individuals to thrive in a digitalized and sustainable future,” she said. “The majority of demand for training (70%) comes directly from industry needs and specific requests. That is why we offer tailored-made training sessions."
The Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity plays a vital role in addressing cybersecurity challenges in the manufacturing sector. Dominique Kogue, Coordinator of the “Capacity Building” Center of Expertise within the Luxembourg National Cybersecurity Competence Center (NC3), highlighted the collaborative efforts with industry experts and the focus on areas such as cybersecurity, automation, and robotics. "Through our training programmes, we aim to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively detect, respond and mitigate cybersecurity incidents, thus safeguarding the digital infrastructure of manufacturing companies,” he said.
The Digital Learning Hub, represented by Koen Cloostermans, offers affordable and accessible training to bridge the digital skills gap. Mr Cloostermans emphasised the importance of practical expertise and collaboration: "We deliver short, practical courses that lead to participation certificates, empowering individuals to acquire in-demand digital skills."
The University of Luxembourg Competence Centre presented its top-notch life-long learning offer: introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning to learn about the concepts and application examples of artificial intelligence. Additionally, Project Manager Jeruwan Mersit presented the training sessions on MeluXina, Luxembourg’s national supercomputing system focused to meet the needs of companies, delivered in collaboration with LuxProvide.
