Educational (mis)match in the context of new manufacturing: A qualitative comparative analysis study in five European countries

Abstract

The article examines the interplay between shop-floor employees' educational levels, and firms' training strategies (expressed by the breadth of the training, the extent of the advanced IT training, and skills development in collaboration with local or national technical schools), leading to multinational companies' educational (mis)match in the context of the new model of manufacturing, known as ‘Industry 4.0.’ Following a survey of 26 senior managers from different companies operating in four advanced manufacturing industries (biotech, engineering, fashion and new materials) in five European countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK), a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) is applied. The results suggest several equifinal paths to corporate educational (mis)match. The findings reveal the need for a more hybridised coexistence between tertiary education and training activities, which can emerge from the cooperation of local actors (education/training institutions and businesses together). Tertiary education, training programmes focused on advanced IT skills, and collaborating with local knowledge providers can reinforce the effect; indeed, their presence (singly or in combination) intensifying the achievement of high levels of educational match. In the absence of these conditions (singly or in combination), a broad training programme can act as a counterbalance and vice versa. Policymakers should put in place tools to enable more inclusive access to collaborations between local businesses and knowledge providers, promoting an upgrade of educational programmes to develop shop-floor workers who are more digitally aware, and better prepared to successfully undertake non-routine cognitive tasks. This would foster the self-sustainability and flourishing of advanced manufacturing in high-income countries.